The collapse and emergency repairs on the Nanxuan Palace road have stranded a large number of tourists, leaving them unable to climb the mountain.
The Golden Summit is much quieter today.
Zhang Fan and Li Yishan stepped out of the hotel, but saw none of yesterday's hustle and bustle.
"What are you thinking about? Still groggy from sleep?"
The morning air was as cool as mint, but even True Martial Mountain's natural oxygen bar couldn't dispel the puzzled and dazed look from Zhang Fan's face.
"Jiang Lai… that beautiful woman we met at the Worship Hall…"
"You dreamed about her? See… I told you you were dreaming… I never saw her at all…"
Li Yishan patted Zhang Fan on the shoulder, as if he'd caught proof that the beauty never existed.
"Move aside."
Right at that moment, an icy voice sounded behind them.
Zhang Fan turned to look, and saw the two who had booked out the hotel yesterday also stepping out through the main doors.
The man with the gold-rimmed glasses had changed into a new suit, still refined as ever; while the burly youth in sportswear still looked down on everyone, as if the mountain roads belonged to his family.
As soon as the words were spoken, the two strode straight past Zhang Fan.
As they brushed shoulders, Zhang Fan's face changed abruptly—he saw that the gold-rimmed glasses man's eyeballs had turned into two squirming insects swimming in their sockets, before returning to normal in an instant.
"Holy shit…"
Zhang Fan gasped, instinctively taking a step back.
The Qian brothers glanced at him sidelong, but didn't seem to care at all, and left without a word.
"What's wrong with you?" Li Yishan couldn't help but ask.
"Didn't… didn't you see? That glasses guy's eyes… they turned into bugs…" Zhang Fan muttered, lowering his voice.
"Bugs? You sure you're not still half-asleep?" Li Yishan frowned, voice low and serious.
"I…"
Zhang Fan's lips moved slightly—he truly didn't know how to explain it. He was sure he hadn't seen wrong…
"I know I didn't see wrong… Last night wasn't a dream, either… Old Li couldn't see it… Could it be because I swallowed the lunar essence?"
Zhang Fan mused, not doubting his own mind. He recalled the lunar essence spat out by the mountain serpent last night…
"I definitely did swallow it… But Old Li says I slept all night and never left the hotel."
Zhang Fan bowed his head, suspicion growing in his heart.
"Brother Wu, that kid could see your [Color-Pupil Insect]…"
At that moment, the Qian brothers, who had walked far off, paused briefly, their attention sweeping back.
"Able to break barriers and see truth—must mean he's reached the stage of nurturing his Primordial Spirit…"
Qian Shengwu pushed up his glasses, a flash of brilliance passing through his deep eyes.
"Yesterday, I seriously underestimated him. Didn't expect the kid to be a fellow practitioner."
"Pretty well-hidden… No idea which family trained him… Could he be here for Zhenwu Mountain's Jade Scroll Transmission too?" Qian Shaokun mused.
"Keep an eye on him… If he gets in the way, deal with him." Qian Shengwu said indifferently.
"Been wanting to do that."
Qian Shaokun licked his lips, and the tongue he stuck out turned into a grotesque insect with a thousand legs and hands, which retracted and vanished within his mouth.
"Tonight is the Jade Scroll Transmission on Zhenwu Mountain…"
Qian Shengwu looked up at the lofty Golden Summit, murmuring softly.
...
At this very moment, Golden Summit's Taihe Palace.
The Daoists were all busy, for the Jade Scroll Transmission concerned the inheritance of the Dharma lineage and the mountain's rise or fall. The ritual's scale was much higher—incense, lights, five tributes and ten offerings, petitions, proclamations, talismans—all these had to be prepared half a year in advance.
"Tonight is the Jade Scroll Transmission—wonder how Senior Sister's preparations are coming along."
Just then, a clear-faced young Daoist put down his scripture and gazed into the depths of Taihe Palace.
Within the innermost dark room, Zhenwu Mountain's top successor was meditating in seclusion.
Tonight, Zhenwu Mountain's Jade Scroll and Golden Volume would be transmitted to her hands.
"She must be calm and well-prepared… Senior Sister is Zhenwu Mountain's youngest [High Skill] ever—given her age, to hold that rank is a rarity in Daoist Sect circles nationwide."
Beside him, a chubby Daoist said with gusto; pride for Zhenwu Mountain glinting in his eyes.
In Daoist cultivation, when one achieves no-thought, enters the void in stillness, and glimpses the Primordial Spirit, they've barely stepped onto the cultivation path—called [Initial Movement].
From then on, one nourishes the Primordial Spirit, and the body manifests all kinds of mysteries, acquiring wondrous Daoist methods—known as [Manifestation].
Anyone who enters this realm can be awarded the nine major ranks: [Qi Worker], [Technique Apprentice], [Profound Master], [Spirit Department], [High Skill], [Mahasattva], [Sect Leader], [Observatory Master], and [Celestial Master], ranked low to high by cultivation and mastery of skill.
Just like these two little Daoists here: in Zhenwu Mountain, they're only [Qi Workers], who've only just glimpsed the wonders of Primordial Spirit, laboring daily to move Spiritual Qi and Celestial Light, nurturing their spirit.
If they progress further, they can train in Daoist Techniques and serve as [Technique Apprentice].
Mastering twelve Small Skills or more, one can become a [Profound Master].
If they master a Great Skill like [Five Thunders Righteous Method], they can hold the office of [Spirit Department].
As for [High Skill]… that means you can independently establish a Magic Altar and preside over rites for the Ghost Gods, your means able to call wind and rain.
This Senior Sister they spoke of was actually younger than them, just into her twenties, and yet was already one of Zhenwu Mountain's rare High Skills. Her future was unimaginable.
"The elders say… Senior Sister may well become a Zhenren before she achieves transcendence." whispered the clear-faced Daoist.
At mention of [Zhenren], both men's faces grew respectful.
Of the Nine Major Ranks of Manifestation, the highest is Celestial Master; surpassing that is the [Pure Yang Wuji Realm], where all turbidity in the spirit is refined away—thus Pure Yang Infinite is achieved.
Such a being is called a Zhenren.
Historically, Ancestor Sanfeng was of this Realm.
Beyond that is the legendary [Three Flowers Gathering at the Top] and [Five Qi Chaoyuan]; cross the Three-Five Transformation, and you reach Earthly Immortal—such are only glimpsed in ancient texts.
"If Senior Sister receives the transmission of the Jade Scroll, she may well reach that realm…"
"I've heard Senior Sister's talent is extraordinary—during cultivation of [Initial Movement Realm], she entered meditation and saw the void in three short days, glimpsed her Primordial Spirit…"
"Then, with just forty-nine days, she achieved Primordial Spirit Emergence, roaming the night far and wide."
"A true genius… I spent three whole years from no-thought to seeing the spirit, and Master still said I had good roots; getting Primordial Spirit Emergence cost me another three…"
"That's why we're mortals and she's a Celestial Being… Only Celestial Beings can receive the transmission of the Jade Scroll."
The two Daoists couldn't help but sigh, eyes full of envy as they gazed toward the depths of Taihe Palace.
"But… I hear this time's Jade Scroll Transmission is unusual…"
Just then, the chubby Daoist changed the topic, suddenly saying:
"What's unusual about it?"
"Heard from Ancestor—our Ancestral Master once left behind a cryptic verse, hinting at great disaster…"
"What was the verse?" the clear-faced Daoist asked.
"Zhenwu passes the Dao seventy-three; after ordinary tribulation, ginseng remains." The chubby Daoist intoned gravely.
"Ordinary tribulation!?"
"Could Zhenwu Mountain's Dharma lineage face disaster because of some mundane mortal?"
The two little Daoists exchanged a glance, faces pensive in thought.