Chapter 239: First Entry into Dragon Tiger Temple

"Mount Hengshan City has arrived!"

The river breeze blew gently as Lin Li pushed open the window and saw the river here growing ever broader, wide enough for several dozen boats to sail abreast, the waterway built up tall and even.

Both banks were endless fields of farmland; it was the early spring planting season, and no one could count how many farmers were leading oxen and guiding their plows.

"We've finally arrived!"

"Is that Mount Hengshan Dao City? They say within that single city live millions of households—one of the ten great famous cities under heaven! I'm going to buy a house and settle down in Dao City!"

"Wow, are those monks from Dragon Tiger Temple?"

Lin Li pushed open the door, and a crowd of people surged onto the deck, looking around with excitement and exhilaration on their faces.

On the various boats large and small on the river, the scene was much the same—a great hubbub of voices, all manner of accents jumbled together, nearly drowning out the roar of the river tide.

"Worthy indeed of the place where eight waters meet—the central hub of Mount Hengshan!"

The deck was filled with all manner of discussion.

Lin Li leaned against the railing and looked out; along both banks of the river, there was no lack of dwellings, even towns, and ahead on an extremely broad stretch of river, several hundred boats were moored—this was an ordinary wharf of Mount Hengshan Dao City.

Looking into the distance from here, the outline of Mount Hengshan Dao City could already come into view.

At the side of mountain ranges, on the shore of the sea, a towering city sat here, majestic as a great dragon crouching, its imposing aura as heavy as a massive mountain.

The tall city walls stretched east and west for an unknown distance, the eye could not see their ends.

The city opened on four sides, with water on three; the Pingjiang Grand Canal, which ran through two prefectures, six zhou, and twenty-one departments, converged here, passing through Mount Hengshan City's gates and rushing straight to the sea's mouth to enter the sea.

"To build such a city, how much manpower must it have taken?"

Feng Feng Zhongyi was also sighing in the wind; this was also his first time coming to Mount Hengshan City, and seeing the outline of that giant city now, his heart was shaken.

Hidden Dragon Department already covered no small an area, yet this city was more than ten times larger still, and outside the city, all manner of towns stood in great numbers, clustering around the giant city.

"Wouldn't it take tens of thousands just for the night-soil collectors?"

Liu Zheng muttered, his heart trembling.

"No wonder some say the Pingjiang Grand Canal is the greatest achievement of the Great Canal over the past thousand years."

Lin Li clicked his tongue in wonder.

A great city with a population exceeding ten million—not to mention the difficulty of construction, merely maintaining it required a sea of resources; setting everything else aside, firewood alone was a tremendous problem.

Were it not for coal, and this Grand Canal, a city of this scale could never possibly exist.

In fact, it was just so—Mount Hengshan Dao City had existed for over three thousand years, yet dozens of expansions had mostly all come after the Great Canal was dug; before that, it was merely a city of a million at most.

"The prosperity of the Great Canal surpasses all previous dynasties—the Founding Ancestor's achievement, unmatched by any before!"

On a nearby boat, an old pedantic scholar was brimming with tears.

"Living in Dao City is no easy matter."

Lin Li muttered to himself; in the short time it took the boat to sail from the relatively narrow stretch of river into the wharf, he had detected at least a dozen upper-grade famous weapons!

Upper-grade famous weapons, in Hidden Dragon, Dechang, and other departments, required at the very least an elder of a sect, a person at the great completion of the Channel-Opening realm, to be qualified to possess them.

"Are houses in Dao City expensive?"

Before even disembarking, Lin Li heard much discussion among the people; upon arriving at Dao City, most had thoughts of settling down.

"Expensive, very expensive!"

The boat docked, and sailors came up to carry cargo; Feng Feng Zhongyi glanced at his disciples:

"Mount Hengshan City is divided into inner and outer cities, each with sixteen districts; in the outer city, an ordinary two-story small courtyard costs at least two hundred taels of gold; in the inner city, it would likely be even more expensive."

"That expensive?"

The disciples were all somewhat tongue-tied.

"Two hundred taels of gold… hmm, with Second Brother's income from chopping firewood, without eating or drinking it would take two hundred years—this price is truly a bit steep…"

Lin Li returned to his room to pack his belongings; there wasn't much, mainly Little Mouse and the little tiger cub.

One tucked into his pocket, one perched on his shoulder.

Lin Li wound the python-skin rope around his hand, carrying his heavy hammer, and followed the crowd off the boat; his peripheral vision swept around, but he didn't spot Old Han, nor did he detect the light of any high-grade weapons.

"Gave up?"

Lin Li kept his guard up inwardly; within the Weapon-Roster, the heavy hammer and boots gleamed brilliantly, and he reckoned that even if a great expert of the Marrow-Refining realm launched a surprise attack, he could withdraw with composure.

"Unless it were an absolute top expert skilled in stealth assassination, carrying no weapons or items at all…"

Lin Li gripped the hammer handle tightly.

Walking out from the wharf, what came into view was a broad, straight official road, and in the extreme distance, a massive wooden arch bridge.

This was a city gate of Mount Hengshan City; there were as many as eight gate tunnels, the soldiers on duty were sturdy and capable, armored and bearing sharp weapons, and quite numerous in number, with no lack of experts among those patrolling.

Lin Li only glanced once; without actually engaging, he couldn't make out the realms of these soldiers, but from their armor and the way they moved, he could discern some things.

"Body-Tempering experts everywhere…"

The wooden arch bridge was nearly eight li long, and horses were not permitted on it; below was another waterway of the Pingjiang Grand Canal, leading toward Dingzhou.

Lin Li was very wary; his peripheral vision swept around, and within eighty meters, there was no lack of extreme-grade sharp blades, and occasionally the gleam of famous weapons as well.

But he walked all the way to the gate tunnel, registered, and entered the city, without noticing anything amiss.

"Did Old Han miscalculate?"

Lin Li's thoughts turned; he caught a fleeting flash of the Thunder-Wind Wishful Staff's light—Old Han had not entered the city.

"Those who draw weapons rashly within the city, die!"

"Those who kill, die!"

"Those who wound others, die!"

Past the long gate tunnel, along both sides of the road, stood twenty or thirty enormous stone steles, each over ten zhang tall, their surfaces densely covered with many characters.

Several government office Runners held up bronze gongs, loudly reciting the rules that must be observed after entering the city by the roadside.

"The rules are strict indeed!"

Feng Feng Zhongyi had already stopped, and received a booklet from those government office Runners, listing various rules—this was distributed free of charge.

Li Yuan and the others were looking at the stone steles on either side.

"These stone steles list, over the past several thousand years, all the martial world experts who were slain by Dragon Tiger Temple for not abiding by the rules…"

Various sects and schools, wandering martial artists, high officials of the imperial court, and even Grandmasters?!

"Changhong Sword Sect, Daoist Yunzhen…"

Li Yuan was slightly shocked. Changhong Sword Sect was a Daoist sect of Mount Yunmeng, its power no less than Dragon Tiger Temple, and a Grandmaster of theirs had been killed—yet hung on this stone stele?

Then these two families…

Li Yuan's thoughts turned. The surroundings were very lively; passersby stopping along this Stele Forest Street was common, their expressions ranging from fear to awe.

"One must keep the rules."

The disciples of Divine Weapon Valley exchanged glances, and instead felt reassured. Such strict rules were naturally a great benefit to them.

Especially Liu Zheng, Wang Wang Peiyao, and the others—Body Tempering Great Completion was considered an expert back in Gao Liu County, but in Mount Hengshan City, they were utterly unremarkable.

"First find an inn to stay at."

Feng Feng Zhongyi also looked for a while, and seeing more and more passersby, led the group away.

Beyond Stele Forest Street, both sides were lined with tall buildings—taverns, medicine halls, money shops, silk and satin stores, weapon shops stretching as far as the eye could see, with pavilions and towers everywhere.

But there were no peddlers by the roadside, giving it a very tidy appearance.

"This Dao City covers a larger area than I imagined."

Li Yuan observed—at the very least, the surrounding buildings were all six stories or higher, varying in height, but most residences were two stories. The various structures were scattered like stars in the sky, numerous yet not crowded.

An ordinary street was actually nearly ten li long from end to end, and this was still the district of the outer city closest to the city walls—supposedly the most remote area.

"To the inner city."

Feng Feng Zhongyi hailed six horse carriages by the roadside, and without lingering in the outer city, went straight to the inner city.

He represented the face of Divine Weapon Valley on this trip; staying in the outer city would be beneath his station. But upon reaching the inner city and finding an inn, the moment he entered, he felt some regret.

"Heaven-rank guest rooms, ten gold per day; Earth-rank rooms, ten taels of silver per day; Mysterious-rank rooms, accommodating four, two taels of silver per day; Yellow-rank rooms, accommodating eight, one tael of silver per day…"

Too expensive!

He had only casually glanced at the wooden plaque on the wall, and Feng Feng Zhongyi's eyelid twitched. But catching sight of many martial world figures in the hall out of the corner of his eye, he gritted his teeth and took out a gold note.

"Aside from sect disciples, or merchants and officials, ordinary people can't afford to stay at this kind of inn."

If it were up to Li Yuan himself, he definitely wouldn't stay at this inn—it was merely a bit closer to Dragon Tiger Temple. Eight days would cost one Minor Return-of-Spirit Pill; this was truly extravagant.

"Two Heaven-rank rooms, eighteen Earth-rank rooms, ten days."

Feng Feng Zhongyi booked the guest rooms, and only then did the group follow the inn's waiter upstairs. The Earth-rank rooms were on the sixth floor, and the Heaven-rank rooms on the ninth floor.

The Heaven-rank rooms were very spacious, with all kinds of facilities, and spiritual incense was lit. Li Yuan took a whiff—it was Spirit-Calming Incense, not top-grade, but one stick cost at least one tael of silver.

What pleased him was that the Heaven-rank rooms provided hot water, and it was supplied all day.

Li Yuan set down his pack, told the waiter he wanted hot water for a bath, left Little Rat and the little tiger cub in the room, and only then pushed open the window.

A room costing ten taels of gold a day was naturally in an excellent location. The view from the ninth floor was expansive; from here, one could see the mountain gate of Dragon Tiger Temple.

In the Dao City where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, Dragon Tiger Temple occupied at least several thousand mu, and this was only within the city—most of it was built directly into the mountain.

Mount Hengshan City had water on three sides and a mountain on one. The mountains were like dragons, called Dragon Mountain, with the highest peak nearly a thousand zhang tall, its vegetation lush and verdant, and within it stood temple after temple.

Further back was Hushan, with flat terrain but dense mountains.

"The place is really big."

Li Yuan's eyesight was excellent; he could see the mountain gate of Dragon Tiger Temple from afar.

Four stone pillars a hundred meters tall supported a stone plaque inscribed with the two characters 'Dragon Tiger.' The plaza before it was extremely expansive, with no buildings for several li.

And beyond the mountain gate, it was truly gilded copper tiles, painted rafters and carved beams, all manner of buildings with interlocking bracket sets. Martial world heroes and disciples came and went in uncountable thousands—a scene of prosperity at its peak.

"I heard the Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing within Dragon Tiger Temple is called the 'Dragon Tiger Nurturing Furnace'—I wonder where it is…"

Li Yuan murmured to himself.

This inn was very close to Dragon Tiger Temple, but the legendary 'Dragon Tiger Nurturing Furnace' had not revealed its radiance like the 'Rift Sea Mysterious Whale Hammer' had before.

"According to Old Han's account, over two thousand years ago, Dragon Seal Saint Monk and Pure Yang Daoist debated the Dao for seven years and fully mastered this Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing, hence Dragon Tiger Temple's two thousand years of prosperity…"

Li Yuan was sensing the Rift Sea Mysterious Whale Hammer.

A Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing was indeed different from a divine weapon; there were two sets of conditions for mastery, somewhat similar to what Han Han Chuijun had said before.

"Only by satisfying both sets of conditions can one fully master a Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing, so that when the weapon master dies, the Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing does not vanish…"

Li Yuan murmured to himself, somewhat curious. Although Old Han hadn't reminded him afterward, he naturally took this matter to heart and was very curious about it.

"Guest, your hot water."

Outside the door came the sound of heavy footsteps. Li Yuan responded, and the inn's waiter from before pushed open the door—a burly man carrying a solid wooden bathtub full of hot water.

His steps were steady, he handled it gently, not spilling a single drop. His lower stance was very stable, his arms muscular—he was actually a martial artist who had cultivated internal force.

"Much obliged."

Li Yuan nodded, closed the door, and began his bath.

In the room, Little Rat was huddled under the bed, not poking out its head, while the little tiger cub squatted by the window, lazily basking in the sun, its ears perking up and drooping by turns.

When this little tiger cub had first been caught, it was utterly wild—even tied with a python-skin belt it was feared it would run off. But later it seemed to have resigned itself to fate and no longer ran about.

Of course, Li Yuan still kept it tied with the python-skin belt. A spiritual beast of this rank was far rarer than a divine weapon; if it were lost, it would break his heart.

"Pity it's still too young—I wonder when I'll be able to ride it…"

Li Yuan, soaking in the medicinal liquid, sighed half a sentence, then suddenly raised his hand. With a 'slap', the little tiger cub had already landed back on the windowsill.

"…"

Glancing at the claw marks left on his hand, Li Yuan was not annoyed, still smiling as he looked on.

These past few days, after many tests, he could be certain that this little tiger cub was extremely intelligent and keenly perceptive of outsiders' emotions.

"Huff!"

Not bothering to tease the little tiger cub any further, Li Yuan swallowed a few pills, soaked in the bath with his eyes closed, simultaneously practicing the visualization method.

Buzz!

In the place of spiritual light, the visualized spirit-self was standing in a stance, practicing the Soldier Body Stance, and yet not only the Soldier Body Stance.

As Li Yuan's thoughts shifted, the visualized spirit-self began switching stance martial arts, from the Soldier Body Stance to the Bai Yuan Stance, the Fierce Tiger Stance, the Grey Eagle Stance…

After the cultivation of the Divine Foot Sutra and the Ten Thousand Blade Spirit Dragon was restricted, Li Yuan focused his energy on the visualization method itself.

These past days, besides altering his bone structure, pondering the Rift Sea Mysterious Whale Diagram, and the Tiger Leopard Thunder Sound, he had mostly been mulling over the visualization method, taking the God-Worshipping Visualization Method as the core, beginning to absorb the essence of other mid- and lower-tier Wu Gong.

With this, he visualized blades and weapons imbued with the essence of each mid- and lower-tier martial art, and with this, further advanced the progress of the Ten Thousand Blade Spirit Dragon Body, increasing his spiritual power.

Huff~

Outside the window, the spring breeze blew Xu Xu.

At the windowsill, the little tiger cub turned its head; inside the bath barrel, Li Yuan's bare upper body trembled ceaselessly, his skin rippling like water, beneath which seemed countless little snakes slithering and undulating.

From time to time, sounds like a civet's low growl could be heard.

Swish!

Suddenly, Li Yuan opened his eyes, glanced at the little tiger cub lazily sprawled on the windowsill, rose, and put on his inner armor, then threw a brand-new Daoist robe over it.

Before long, footsteps came from outside the door; the inn servant's voice was far more reverent than before:

"C-customer, there's a gentleman surnamed Yu outside the door who wishes to, to pay you a visit."

"Yu Yu Xuanfeng?"

Li Yuan had already changed his clothes; he pushed open the door, and the servant's face was wreathed in smiles, very enthusiastic.

……

"Li… ahem, Brother Li."

Outside the inn, Yu Yu Xuanfeng wore a capable martial robe, a smile on his face, with a horse carriage behind him. Seeing Li Yuan's slight hesitation, he hastily cleared his throat and invited him onto the carriage.

Li Yuan gave a slight nod and boarded the carriage with his cat.

"Where is Senior Brother Gong?"

The carriage was very spacious, with not only a bookshelf but also lit spiritual incense.

"Master has not yet returned."

Yu Yu Xuanfeng walked into the carriage, cast a curious glance at the spirit cat perched on Li Yuan's shoulder, and ordered the coachman to drive.

"Oh?"

"Master went to the Huai Dragon Palace; before leaving, he instructed me to entertain you well."

Yu Yu Xuanfeng was slightly ill at ease; although this person was about the same age as himself, his seniority was considerably higher.

"When can I enter the Sect?"

As for Gong Gong Jiuchuan's whereabouts, Li Yuan did not care much; he only wanted to enter the sect soon and learn the Dragon Tiger Heaven-Shaking Hammer.

"Entering the Sect can be done at any time, it's just that Martial Ancestor has been in closed-door cultivation for several months, with no sign of coming out yet…"

Yu Yu Xuanfeng was somewhat hesitant.

Seeing his hesitation, Li Yuan slightly furrowed his brow and asked via transmitted voice: "Is there some change?"

"Martial Ancestor went into closed-door cultivation in haste, and there were no arrangements made, so, it's somewhat of an impediment…"

Yu Yu Xuanfeng spoke very tactfully.

"For example?"

Li Yuan sighed inwardly; he was somewhat prepared, after all, that bargain-basement master of his was hardly as reliable as Old Han.

"Before Martial Ancestor comes out, you cannot formally take him as master, and moreover, there are people within the sect who question whether you were truly taken in by Martial Ancestor as his disciple…"

In transmitted-voice conversation, Yu Yu Xuanfeng was also more at ease, speaking about matters within the sect.

"Who?"

Li Yuan asked.

"This…"

Yu Yu Xuanfeng hesitated for a moment, then still answered: "Quite a few, for instance, the Vice Hall Master of Dragon Yintangfutang, Chu Shan Xuan Kong…"

"The Vice Hall Master of Dragon Yintangfutang?"

Li Yuan thought for a moment, but had no impression.

The Dao Sect's intelligence was always scarce; the Cloud Comfort Tower might have it, but the Divine Weapon Valley clearly couldn't buy it. Yet according to intelligence, a Vice Hall Master of the Dao Sect must at least be a Zhun Sect Master of Chengde Blood Exchange?

"Does it have any impact?"

Li Yuan's gaze shifted slightly, thinking of the battle at West Bear Mountain.

"Impact… well, there isn't much impact. With Martial Ancestor not coming out, naturally you cannot formally take him as master, but after the Dragon Tiger Banquet, you are already an inner disciple of Dragon Tiger Temple — this is beyond doubt."

Yu Yu Xuanfeng answered.

It's just that he can't formally take him as master?

Li Yuan felt slightly relieved inwardly; closed-door cultivation wasn't the same as never coming out.

But seeing Yu Yu Xuanfeng's strange expression, he suddenly recalled something:

"How long does Master usually stay in closed-door cultivation?"

"Maybe three to five months, or perhaps a year or two…"

Yu Yu Xuanfeng paused slightly, and the carriage also came to a stop; the coachman's voice came through:

"Young Master, we've reached the mountain gate."

A year or two…

Li Yuan's eyelid twitched slightly.

"Elder-Uncle Li, this disciple will register your entry to the sect first. As for that Elder Token…"

Yu Yu Xuanfeng stood up.

Li Yuan took out Gong Gong Jiuchuan's token and handed it to him.

Stepping down from the carriage, before them stood the mountain gate of Longhu Longhu Dandan—tall and solemn. Beyond the gate were various buildings and houses, along with a faint scent of incense.

【Longhu Longhu Dandan Mountain Gate (Tier 7)】

【…Fashioned from the ashes within the Longhu Yangsheng Furnace, mingled with a variety of heaven-gifted treasures, it contains faint divine intent of two Grand Grandmaster-level martial artists… Nurtured by the incense of ten thousand households, it has gained spirituality and can discern good from evil…】

【Control Requirement: Master of the Longhu Yangsheng Furnace】

【Control Effect: Tier 7 (Faint Gold): Discern Good from Evil, Dragon-Tiger Convergence (Remnant)】

Good heavens, a Divine Weapon-grade mountain gate!

Li Yuan's eyes went wide.