Chapter 945: The Disciple Won't Go Down the Mountain

After many years, Zhong Zhengyuan stepped out of the mountain gate once again.

He descended the mountain, seeking a way to resolve the crisis of the demonic path.

In his eyes, this matter was of utmost importance. The first thing that needed resolving was the issue of these demonic cultivation methods. If they were allowed to continue spreading, the Cultivation World would be thrown into chaos.

...

The immortal crane carried the Daoist into the mortal realm, alighting upon the mountain of Liuyun Temple.

An immortal had come to visit.

The white crane landed before the temple gates. Standing taller than two or three grown men put together, it terrified the young Daoist disciple at the door.

"Ah!"

The young disciple cried out in alarm and hurriedly ran inside, shouting, "Master, Master! What a massive crane!"

He completely failed to notice the Daoist stepping down from the white crane's back.

Daoist Fuyun, who had been meditating, opened his eyes and looked at his flustered disciple. "Do not be so frantic."

The young Daoist opened his mouth, pointing outside. "No, Master, there's a crane. It—it's..."

Daoist Fuyun directed his gaze outward.

Seeing a crane's head rising even higher than the temple wall, Daoist Fuyun stared blankly for a moment before immediately standing up.

When he reached the temple gates, he saw another Daoist standing beside the white crane.

Zhong Zhengyuan looked at the man, offered a slight bow, and asked, "I am Zhong Zhengyuan of Tianji Mountain. May I ask, Fellow Daoist, is Mister Chen in the temple?"

Daoist Fuyun recovered from his surprise and quickly returned the bow. "Immortal, you are too polite. Mister Chen has been wandering the world for a long time and rarely returns to the temple. I do not know where he has gone."

Zhong Zhengyuan paused at the news, sighing inwardly.

Daoist Fuyun then added, "However, he did return once a few years ago. From what he said, he was heading to Shangjing, but that was already five years ago."

Finding a sliver of a lead, Zhong Zhengyuan cupped his hands in thanks. "Many thanks, Fellow Daoist."

"You're welcome," Daoist Fuyun replied, still a bit stunned.

Zhong Zhengyuan then said, "I have urgent matters to discuss with Mister Chen, so I will not intrude any longer. Please forgive me for disturbing your peace."

"Immortal."

Daoist Fuyun suddenly called out.

Zhong Zhengyuan looked at him.

Daoist Fuyun said, "You must be from the Immortal Realm. I wonder if I could ask about a couple of people?"

"Please ask, Fellow Daoist."

"I have three fellow disciples. I once heard from Mister Chen that my Junior Sister, Zisu, received an immortal's guidance and went to the Immortal Realm to practice Cultivation. My Senior Brother, Changshan, was once the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, but he suffered a disaster and was rescued by Junior Sister Zisu in his moment of peril. I wonder... have you ever heard of these two?"

Zhong Zhengyuan thought for a moment before saying, "I have not heard of them, but I can perform a divination for you."

"Immortal..."

"It is but a minor matter, not worth mentioning."

Zhong Zhengyuan raised a hand, pinching his fingers in calculation. He paused, then said, "I calculate that your Junior Sister is indeed currently in the Cultivation World. Not only has she achieved success in her Cultivation, but she is also highly revered."

Joy blossomed in Daoist Fuyun's heart. He quickly asked, "Then, what of Senior Brother Changshan...?"

But Zhong Zhengyuan shook his head. "Your Senior Brother's situation is vastly different. His fate is highly volatile, and as the heavenly secrets are currently obscured, his destiny has fallen into chaos. I am unable to divine anything about him."

Daoist Fuyun paused, a twinge of regret in his chest. Recovering himself, he cupped his hands repeatedly. "Thank you for the divination, Immortal."

Zhong Zhengyuan nodded, then added, "Right. While I was at it, I also divined the fate of your younger fellow disciple. This junior brother of yours is quite extraordinary as well."

"Junior Brother Xuan Shen?" Daoist Fuyun stared blankly. "Did Junior Brother Xuan Shen go to the Immortal Realm too?"

"That I do not know," Zhong Zhengyuan replied. "I could only faintly glean a few details. According to what his fate reveals, he seems to have entered the Buddhist Dao. Because of this, I could not divine the complete picture."

"The Buddhist Dao..."

Daoist Fuyun was momentarily stunned, caught entirely by surprise.

Zhong Zhengyuan nodded. "I could not calculate anything more. My Dao Cultivation is not profound enough; please forgive me."

Daoist Fuyun hurriedly waved his hands. "Your Dao Cultivation is profound, Immortal. To know even this much sets my mind at ease. Thank you."

Zhong Zhengyuan smiled. "Then I will intrude no longer."

Daoist Fuyun paused and quickly said, "Please wait, Immortal. We have a peach tree planted in the temple. It bore good fruit this year; you can take some peaches to eat on the road."

"There is no need for such trouble, none at all."

Zhong Zhengyuan had intended to refuse.

But the young Daoist disciple behind Daoist Fuyun ran extremely fast. The moment Daoist Fuyun mentioned the fruit, he dashed off and retrieved the peaches.

Given that, it was hard to decline.

Zhong Zhengyuan could only accept them.

With a warm smile, Zhong Zhengyuan said, "Many thanks, Fellow Daoist."

He paused, turning to the young disciple with a smile. "And thank you, little Fellow Daoist."

The young disciple still seemed rather frightened. He stammered slightly, "I-it's nothing."

After taking the peaches, Zhong Zhengyuan cupped his hands and bid them farewell.

The master and disciple did not try to keep him any longer.

Watching the immortal depart on the white crane, the young disciple gazed up in awe at his magnificent bearing. Daoist Fuyun simply stood there quietly, murmuring a low "Boundless Heavenly Honored One."

Only after the crane had flown far away did the young disciple ask, "Master, I have three martial aunts and uncles? How come I've never heard you mention them?"

"That was all from many years ago," Daoist Fuyun said.

The young disciple nodded blankly, then asked, "So, do you miss them a lot, Master?"

Daoist Fuyun froze for a moment, falling into thought.

To say he missed them... he wouldn't exactly say he missed them deeply.

He just wanted to see them again. Just one more time.

He was already of advanced age and didn't know how many years he had left. At his age, he increasingly longed for the days of his youth, holding those memories close for a long time.

With a soft sigh, Daoist Fuyun rubbed the young disciple's head.

"I have only taken you as my sole disciple. Do you ever feel too lonely staying here in the temple?"

The young disciple thought about it and said, "It's fine, I'm not lonely. Didn't you say that Cultivation requires enduring solitude? Aren't boring days just another form of Cultivation?"

Daoist Fuyun chuckled. "Silly disciple."

He reached out and straightened his disciple's robes. "Cultivation is not about severing the six desires and seven emotions. Our Liuyun Temple doesn't preach that. The emotions and desires of the mortal world must never be cast aside. They are things of immeasurable value, not sinful debts of the red dust. You must remember this, understand?"

The young disciple blinked in confusion. "But Master, the Daoist scriptures don't seem to say that."

He wondered if his master was getting old and his memory was failing him.

"I know," Daoist Fuyun said. "When you go down the mountain in the future, you will certainly meet certain people. Eventually, you'll slowly come to understand these truths."

"Down the mountain?"

The young disciple was alarmed. "Master, why would I go down the mountain? I won't leave the mountain, Master!"

Daoist Fuyun said, "If you don't go down the mountain, what will you do? Stand guard over this desolate Daoist temple forever?"

The young disciple gaped. "No, I just don't want to leave you, Master. The world down there isn't good; I don't want to go down."

Daoist Fuyun's heart skipped a beat. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

He could only lie to the boy, saying, "This is the rule of Liuyun Temple. It applies to everyone who practices Cultivation here."

"Master, you're lying! Ancestral Master Xuanhuang never went down the mountain!"

"Your ancestral master was an exception."

"I'm not going down the mountain! I won't!"