Chapter 384 - 208: Dan Yangsheng, Taixuan Sect

Chapter 384: Chapter 208: Dan Yangsheng, Taixuan Sect

"Beyond this mountain range is the Western Continent!"

A few days later, a shadow seemed to glide across the sky. Soon, the clouds parted to reveal a Cyan-Scaled Jiao Dragon, which peered into the distance.

It was, of course, none other than Lieyun, and the Daoist sitting atop its head with his eyes slightly closed could only be Xu Zhuang.

Xu Zhuang had intended to travel light for his visit to the Taixuan Orthodox Sect. However, Lieyun had unexpectedly shed its usual laziness and volunteered to be his mount. Xu Zhuang saw no reason to refuse, so he rode the Jiao Dragon from Li Mountain, heading all the way west.

Hearing this, Xu Zhuang opened his eyes and looked ahead. Just as Lieyun had said, a continuous mountain range stretched before them, running from north to south.

The range connected to Mang Mountain in the north and bordered the South Sea in the south. It was an unbroken chain of bizarre, overlapping peaks. The highest among them soared well over a hundred thousand feet, piercing the clouds. The entire range was like a massive screen, blocking all sight from the Divine Continent.

Whenever the great sun sank in the west, even from the westernmost edge of the Divine Continent, one would not see the sun set into the vastness of the West Sea. Instead, they would see a sky full of brilliant twilight clouds blanketing the mountain screen, hence its name: the Jianxia Mountain Range.

Beyond the Jianxia Mountain Range lay the vast Western Continent. More than a century had passed since his trip to the Dharma Origin Grotto Heaven, and Xu Zhuang had not set foot here since. He wondered what the continent looked like now, under the stewardship of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect.

Without any prompting from Xu Zhuang, Lieyun let out a chuckle. Its body, thousands of feet long, whipped through the clouds as it shot forward. In just a moment, it was above the mountain range. Suddenly, Xu Zhuang let out a soft sound of surprise.

A wisp of cloud-qi rose from a peak below, reaching the heavens in an instant. It dispersed into an auspicious cloud, from which emerged a dashing Daoist wearing a Lotus Crown, with hair grown long at his temples. He clasped his hands in a salute and asked, "Might I ask which Fellow Daoist is passing through? This humble one, Dan Yangsheng, offers his greetings."

’Dan Yangsheng... from the Danxia Sect?’ Xu Zhuang’s eyes flickered. The Danxia Sect was indeed based in the Jianxia Mountain Range. However, rumor had it that the sect did not recruit disciples widely. Instead, its elders roamed the world, seeking out orphans with the innate talent for cultivation to pass on their teachings.

Orphans who joined the Danxia Sect in this way kept their original names if they had them. If they were nameless, or wished to leave their past behind, they would be given the surname Dan.

This man had a distinguished bearing and a profound cultivation level, and his surname was Dan. There was almost no other possibility. Xu Zhuang did not act haughty; he stood up from Lieyun’s head and returned the salute. "I am Xu Zhuang. A pleasure to meet you, Fellow Daoist."

"Xu Zhuang?" Dan Yangsheng was taken aback and couldn’t help but ask, "Could you be Dao Miaozhi of the Tai Su Orthodox Sect?"

"The very same." Xu Zhuang was not surprised by his reaction. He smiled, clasped his hands again, and asked, "May I ask why you’ve stopped me here, Fellow Daoist?"

Dan Yangsheng quickly waved his hands. "Fellow Daoist, please don’t misunderstand."

"This peak is a personal manor I established." Dan Yangsheng pointed to the summit below and explained, "I was in the middle of Alchemy today when I suddenly sensed an astonishing demonic aura from above."

He gave Lieyun an apologetic smile before continuing, "So I came to investigate, only to discover it was your mount, Fellow Daoist. Seeing your distinguished appearance and transcendent demeanor, I knew you must be a man of the Dao. It was then that a desire to befriend you arose, and I boldly took the liberty of stopping you."

"I see," Xu Zhuang replied with a slight smile. "I am merely passing through. I saw how magnificent the scenery of the Jianxia Mountain Range was, so I chose not to ascend higher into the clouds to bypass it. My apologies for disturbing you, Fellow Daoist."

"Not at all, not at all." Dan Yangsheng gestured with an inviting hand. "If you are not in a hurry, Fellow Daoist, might I have the honor of inviting you to my estate for a cup of Immortal Tea and a discussion on the profound?"

"I would very much like to," Xu Zhuang said, declining politely, "but I am traveling to the Taixuan Orthodox Sect for a visit and have a scheduled arrival time. I’m afraid I must decline your kind offer."

"Oh?" Dan Yangsheng’s expression turned serious. "That is indeed a matter that cannot be delayed. It was my mistake to trouble you."

He thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Fellow Daoist, please wait for just a breath." With that, he turned, transformed back into a wisp of cloud-qi, and vanished back into the peak.

Xu Zhuang had been about to bid him farewell and was left speechless by this. Still, while he couldn’t accept the invitation, waiting a moment longer wouldn’t hurt, so he decided to do as Dan Yangsheng asked.

Sure enough, in less than a breath’s time, Dan Yangsheng returned. He materialized holding a gourd the size of a melon and said with a smile, "These are from the batch I refined today. They are perfectly suited for a spirit beast."

"I observed that your spirit beast mount has a solid foundation. With the aid of Spirit Medicine, it should be able to advance bravely. I offer this gourd of pills to form a good bond with you, Fellow Daoist. I hope you will not refuse."

Xu Zhuang was slightly surprised, but since Dan Yangsheng had put it that way, he only hesitated for a moment before taking the gourd of pills. He clasped his hands and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist."

Seeing Xu Zhuang accept the pills, Lieyun, beneath his feet, began to gulp down saliva but didn’t dare interrupt. Xu Zhuang shook his head, took a pristine bottle from his sleeve, and said to Dan Yangsheng, "I must be on my way, so I won’t impose any longer. It is impolite not to reciprocate a gift. This is just something I obtained by chance while gathering elemental qi. Please, accept it, Fellow Daoist."

Once Dan Yangsheng took the bottle, Xu Zhuang lingered no longer. With a tap of his foot, Lieyun swung its long body and shot through the air, quickly disappearing behind the Jianxia Mountains.

Dan Yangsheng watched Xu Zhuang depart from afar, his smile slowly fading. He glanced at the pristine bottle in his hand, and the corners of his mouth turned up again. "Ice Extreme Essence. He’s worthy of his great reputation. It seems he really does have some extraordinary abilities."

He looked up at the shifting clouds, his gaze growing deep and mysterious. ’I followed a whim to conduct my Alchemy here today, and it seems there was some fate at work. Dao Miaozhi... I wonder if he will ever succeed in refining a Primordial Spirit?’

Suddenly, a cool breeze swept past, brushing against Dan Yangsheng’s face. He abruptly disintegrated, turning into cloud-qi that drifted into the air and vanished between heaven and earth in an instant.

The chance encounter with Dan Yangsheng had taken some time, but Xu Zhuang had left himself a generous buffer, so there was no need to rush. He simply had Lieyun increase its speed. Without taking much time to appreciate the resurgent West Sea, he soon saw a chain of Immortal Mountains, hazy and wreathed in mist, suddenly appear amid the vast, azure waves.

"So this is the West Su Continent."

Creation and destruction were never equal in difficulty, it seemed. To resurrect a vast, dead sea, raise a landmass tens of thousands of miles wide, and create an Immortal Mountain Blessed Land—all in a mere hundred years. Even though he had been prepared for it, Xu Zhuang was still left breathless by the power of the Pure Yang True Monarch.

"Let’s stop here," Xu Zhuang instructed Lieyun. A paper talisman appeared between his fingers, which he prepared to send toward the Taixuan Continent.

But before he could act, his Spiritual Sense twitched, and he looked up.

Thousands of rays of rosy light suddenly burst forth, parting the clouds and mist to lay down a rainbow path.

Immediately after, the faint sound of Immortal Bell and Reed Music drifted from the void. Eight hundred Warriors in ceremonial robes emerged from the mist on either side of the rainbow path, lining up in two solemn rows.

’What’s this?’ Xu Zhuang glanced to the side. A point of starlight drew near, revealing a middle-aged Daoist in a starry robe and a golden crown. He bowed slightly and said, "I am the Daoist Xuan Cheng, humbly serving the Taixuan Orthodox Sect in the position of Elder. I have come on official orders to welcome the Venerable Dao Miao."

Xu Zhuang’s expression shifted slightly. He hadn’t expected his personal visit to be met with such a grand reception. He quickly clasped his hands and returned the bow. "Thank you for your trouble, Elder Xuan Cheng."

Elder Xuan Cheng smiled faintly. "In accordance with sect etiquette, I have prepared a Celestial Carriage for you, Venerable—it is a Divine Beast Transport Vehicle. Would you care to transfer to the carriage?"

Xu Zhuang calmly raised a hand and replied, "There is no need to trouble you, Elder. I will remain on my mount."

Elder Xuan Cheng did not insist. He nodded slightly, gestured toward the rainbow path, and said, "The way has been opened for you to the main sect, Venerable. Please."