He had not seen the sun in how many years!
Since arriving in the underground immortal cultivation world, he had gradually forgotten what real sunlight looked like.
Although the earth fire and magma were bright, how could they compare to the sun's fire, which illuminated all things?
One view and one mountain complemented each other, like a dream, like an illusion, enchanting countless immortals.
Looking at the beautiful scenery he had not seen in a long time, Wu Tao sighed faintly, and his mood, long absent, began to improve.
"Qingcheng looks like a jade terrace, with verdant peaks rising from the north, spanning the great Minjiang River. Purple qi comes from the east, and immortals arrive. Seven or eight pavilions are seen for the first time. It is truly a world of purity and clarity, overlooking the immortal realm on earth."
His heart was filled with emotion. If he had not personally witnessed the magnificence of Qingcheng Mountain, Wu Tao would have found it difficult to comprehend the profound meaning of this eternal masterpiece by the great poet Su Dan.
This year was the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu. Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang had raised an army to destroy the Yuan Dynasty, captured the Yuan capital, and expelled the Mongols from the grasslands to ascend the throne and establish the Ming Dynasty, historically known as Emperor Taizu of Ming.
Under the leadership of this legendary founding emperor, who was both heroic and strategic, the Great Ming Empire flourished, displaying the grandeur of a prosperous age and the aura of myriad nations paying tribute.
It was the beginning of August. The northern regions were already adorned with lush flowers, their fragrance intoxicating the air. How much more so for Qingcheng Mountain, nestled in the Sichuan Basin.
Wu Tao, approximately one hundred and twenty years old, wore a royal crimson daoist robe bestowed upon him as a symbol of his status as the Imperial Advisor. He wore the Zhenwu Sword at his waist.
Alone with his sword, he stood before the temple gate. A seemingly boundless sorrow and unspoken melancholy flickered in the corners of his eyes, a feeling that even this delightful scenery could not alleviate.
As the revitalizing ancestor of Qingyun Monastery and a leading figure in the Daoist sect, the foremost Daoist in the world, everyone showed him respect, even the current Emperor.
It had not been easy for Qingyunzi to reach this point. He had gained much, but lost even more. The regrets in his heart were understandable.
Wu Tao suspected that his trials and missions should be related to these regrets in Qingyunzi's heart.
It turned out that years ago, Qingyunzi had descended Qingcheng Mountain three times, unified the righteous forces, and, outside Fuyuan City, decisively defeated the Heavenly Demonic God Cult and their minions.
During these three descents to Qingcheng Mountain, a young girl fell in love with the fifty-something Qingyunzi and bravely confessed her feelings.
Qingyunzi, who had never married in his life, was actually moved by the young, lively, and lovely girl before him at the time.
However, due to reasons of status, position, and public opinion, Qingyunzi ruthlessly refused her.
Ten years later, when Qingyunzi was sixty, he received a wedding invitation. The girl was getting married, but not to him.
Courage, sometimes, only a little bit of courage is needed, and your life will have no regrets.
This was Qingyunzi's first great regret.
...
Qingyunzi's second great regret was the dying wish of his master, Xu Lingzi, which he had failed to fulfill.
To unite the Daoist sects of the realm and compile a Daoist scripture on Qingcheng Mountain that would be passed down through the ages, thereby honoring the name of Qingyun Monastery.
However, even with Qingyunzi's current status, this matter was difficult to accomplish.
There were thousands upon thousands of Daoist sects in the world, and all his peers were his rivals. Even though Qingyunzi was the leading figure of the Daoist world at the time, he had tried his best for decades, even sacrificing some personal interests, but he had still not been able to achieve it.
...
Qingyunzi's third, and final, regret was that he had never personally witnessed the magnificent landscapes of the Great Ming Empire stretching for millions of miles.
Qingyunzi's childhood name was Lin Fan. He grew up in Qingyun Monastery and was accepted as a disciple by Xu Lingzi, enjoying a period of great happiness.
Qingyunzi regarded Xu Lingzi as his own father. Unexpectedly, after decades, Xu Lingzi passed away, entrusting the position of abbot of Qingyun Monastery to him.
In the years that followed, for the future of Qingyun Monastery...
Qingyunzi, who had lived to be one hundred and twenty years old, had only descended Qingcheng Mountain three times in his extremely long life.
Furthermore, these three times were for urgent matters that required swift action, so he was in a hurry and did not have time to appreciate the surrounding scenery.
Indeed, Qingyun Monastery had made Qingyunzi, and the title of the foremost Daoist in the world, a reality.
Without the powerful backing of Qingyun Monastery, even with his exceptional martial arts skills, Qingyunzi would not have achieved such great success on his own.
Qingyunzi and Qingyun Monastery had a relationship of mutual support and mutual achievement. When Qingyunzi became the foremost Daoist in the world, Qingyun Monastery also became the leader of the Daoist sects and a national religion that existed alongside the country.
However, where there is gain, there is loss. Qingyun Monastery had also, in the process, bound Qingyunzi's life.
It had transformed his naturally unrestrained spirit into a wooden statue, standing motionless, like a living dead person.
...
Meanwhile.
Upon hearing his master's intention to venture out alone, his two disciples, Xing Jun and Xing Yun, became flustered. They pleaded and advised him repeatedly, but to no avail. They could only gather all their disciples and grand-disciples to send Wu Tao off.
On that day.
Wu Tao, with the Zhenwu Sword at his waist, wearing the abbot's daoist crown and the Imperial Advisor's daoist robe, stood on a high platform, looking down at over a thousand disciples and grand-disciples.
Over a thousand Daoists lowered their foreheads, performing the ritual kowtow to their ancestor, revering the master-disciple relationship with solemnity. Their voices shook the heavens.
The grace of imparting knowledge was second only to the grace of parental nurturing. Coupled with the original owner of Wu Tao's body, Qingyunzi's age of one hundred and twenty years, these thousand Daoists performed the kowtow willingly, without any trace of humiliation or resentment.
Thousands of Daoists shouted "Ancestor!" Such a grand occasion, such a spectacle, perhaps only the ancient Daoist ancestor Laozi could have commanded such an entourage...
Wu Tao, eager to complete his mission and trials, bid farewell to his disciples and rode down the mountain.
The Great Ming Empire stretched for millions of miles. How easy could it be to tour it in a short period?
It took him several months just to pass through Jingzhou, and then Wu Tao immediately rode to the neighboring Yangzhou, which showed his urgency.
Looking up at the surroundings, the man and his horse had reached the territory of Guangling City. Dusk was descending, and a light rain was misting the air. Wu Tao, sitting on his horse, sighed in resignation and entered the city to find an inn for the night.
In the evening, while meditating on his bed, the Zhenwu Sword beside him suddenly let out a sharp hum.
Hearing this, Wu Tao's heart immediately became vigilant.
He channeled his inner energy, carefully listening to the sounds around him. Apart from the rustling of grass and trees in the wind, he indeed heard a faint sound of footsteps.
It was strange that a master was active here so late. Wu Tao couldn't help but wonder, could this person be seeking trouble with him!
He was the abbot of Qingyun Monastery, possessing top-tier techniques such as the Hunyuan Qiankun Gong, the Tianyan Suanshu Swordplay, and the Longteng Huyue Footwork. Killing him would not only bring immense fame but also the acquisition of several top-tier martial arts.
If someone were to covet and plot against him, it would be a reasonable matter. Thinking of this, Wu Tao circulated his inner energy to all his meridians, preparing himself for a lightning-fast strike once the enemy arrived.
The window of the adjacent room was gently pushed open, followed by a whooshing sound. A person then lightly leaped from the window onto the rooftop. Their footwork was clearly at a peak of mastery.
After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the sounds of leaping and moving gradually faded into the distance, heading south.
Only then did Wu Tao realize that this master's intention was not directed at him. He felt relieved and, at the same time, became intensely curious.
Without a second thought, Wu Tao pushed open the window, leaped out, and silently pursued the master's tracks.
The footwork of Wu Tao's original body had been cultivated for over a hundred years, making it unparalleled in the martial world, the best in the world.
In less than half a cup of tea, Wu Tao spotted the trail of the master in black, and the two engaged in a pursuit.
After chasing for a while, Wu Tao became even more curious. After all, for a master-level expert to be traveling so urgently in the dark, something important must have happened.
They continued this chase for over ten li through the night. The master in black stopped in front of a Buddhist temple.
Seeing no obstructing bushes around, Wu Tao leaped up and hid in a dense, large tree.
This seemingly slight movement alerted the master in black, who carefully scanned the surroundings, but there was not even a shadow in sight.
However, even so, the master felt something was amiss, as if someone were following him.
Wu Tao, concealed among the leaves, looked at the temple's main entrance plaque by the dim light and was startled to see the three large characters "Lanta Temple" brushed in gold powder.
Lanta Temple was a well-known Buddhist temple in the martial arts world.
Setting aside its three hundred temple guards, the abbot, Master Liaokong, possessed master-level inner energy, cultivated the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill, and was impervious to swords, blades, fire, and water.
Of course, Lanta Temple was most famous in the martial arts world for its treasure, the Sanskrit version of "Maha Divine Skill."
Legend had it that this set of techniques was created by Bodhidharma, and practicing it would grant the power to roam the world and be invincible.
Because of this, Lanta Temple had been targeted by countless individuals with ulterior motives. Fortunately, with Lanta Temple's strength, ordinary petty criminals dared not provoke them, and thus it had remained peaceful for so many years.
However, tonight's anomaly was the sheer amount of blood flowing from the entrance of Lanta Temple, almost forming a small stream. Even if dozens of martial monks had their heads severed simultaneously, it would not have flowed like this.