There is a progress bar in my cultivation of immortality

Time flies, and three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

After three years, the main buildings of Taiyan Mountain have been completed. The pavilions and towers standing among the mountains and waters of the main peak reach into the sky, guarding a palace with red walls and golden tiles on the top of the mountain.

This palace was named "Guizhen" by Ziluan, which was the name he came up with after reading the Taoist scripture passed down by Wang Ping. It implies the idea of ​​inaction of returning to simplicity and nature.

Zi Luan was indeed very smart sometimes, but after he understood these ideas, he was unable to integrate them into his own practice. He just took them as warnings.

There is a huge ascension platform built in the four directions of the mountains. You can climb to the main vein of Taiyan Mountain from different directions. Standing on the four ascension platforms, you can feel the spiritual fluctuations caused by the Guizhen Palace.

The South Gate is the mountain gate where ordinary disciples come and go, and it is particularly lively today.

In ten days, the Taiyan Sect will be re-established. Starting from today, a Dharma Assembly lasting ten days will be held on Mount Taiyan.

This news has been circulating for three months, so today many monks who came from Hushan Kingdom and Southeast Islands landed on the Dengxian Platform at the South Gate, hoping to have the honor of participating in this Dharma Assembly.

The East Gate is a mountain gate specially used to receive monks from the third realm. It is not lively here, but it is solemn and dignified.

At this time, there were already dozens of cultivators from the third realm gathered here, including Taoist Wu who came on behalf of the cave gate. When he landed on the immortal platform, he couldn't help but look up at the Guizhen Palace looming in the clouds.

It seemed to be the end of the sky. In the gorgeous picture painted by clouds, a towering Taoist palace stood on the top of the mountains. It seemed that all the mountains in the world were bowing down at its feet. The magnificent outer walls of the palace also exuded a mysterious halo, adding a lot of mysterious immortal atmosphere to it.

"Fellow Daoist Wu!"

A voice sounded on the right side of Wu Laodao. It was Wen Hai, the representative of the Southern Cave Gate today.

Taoist Wu immediately smiled and said, "So it's Brother Wen Hai. It's been nearly a hundred years since we last met, right?"

Wen Hai also smiled and said, "It's been hundreds of years."

For them, there is no need to remember the hundred years.

After a simple greeting, the two approached each other, and Wu Laodao asked in a low voice: "Will Lord Changqing come in person this time?"

Wen Hai shook his head, "I don't think so. The Lord of the Mansion has already gone into seclusion. Now, within the hundreds of miles around Qianmu Mountain, no strangers are allowed to approach."

Upon hearing this, Wu Laodao looked over to the other side, where Liu Shuibin was talking to Que Cai. He then lowered his voice and said, "Master Zhigong is also in seclusion. I heard that she had a conflict with the demon tribe a year ago, and almost caused a riot."

Wen Hai looked surprised, "Is there such a thing? We haven't heard of it yet."

Wu Laodao nodded affirmatively, "We can discuss this in detail when we have a chance. This is not the place to talk."

He looked at another group of visiting guests. They were wearing the green Taoist robes of Linshui Prefecture. The two leading people had dragon patterns on the collars of their robes, which was the symbol of the prince of Linshui Prefecture.

Someone immediately came to greet them from the mountain gate in the distance. They were Li Miaolin and Xuan Ling, followed by Leng Kezhen and Qingjiang.

"The two princes' presence here truly brings glory to our sect."

Li Miaolin bowed in greeting.

The people who came were Jiang Cun and Yang Shu, followed by Hong Ze.

Yang Shu cupped his hands and responded, "I am truly ashamed to hear your words, fellow Daoist."

Both sides were polite for a while. Jiang Cun was no longer as free and easy as before. He spoke politely to Li Miaolin and Xuan Ling in a low voice. After all, he himself proposed the theory of "ritual and music" and he must lead by example.

After a while.

After saying the polite words, Li Miaolin ordered Leng Kezhen and Qingjiang behind him to lead the guests to the main peak.

Entering the mountain gate and feeling the abundant spiritual energy inside, Jiang Cun couldn't help but praise: "What a great immortal cave. The Zhenyang Sect really wasted such a good place in the past."

Hongze responded unhappily: "Those rough people of the Zhenyang Sect don't know what 'beauty' is. Wherever they go, there is only disaster."

Yang Shu looked back at Hongze, with a hint of displeasure in his eyes, but he couldn't say anything, after all, the Seventh Prince was behind Hongze.

Jiang Cun just smiled, then deliberately dropped a step and stopped at the back. Leng Kezhen, who was leading the way, also stopped and kept pace with Jiang Cun.

At this moment, Jiang Cun's gaze fell on the Dengxian Platform, and there was a complex look of confusion, nostalgia and expectation in his eyes, because he saw Xia Yao.

"Princess Xia Yao came here on behalf of Yunhai Grassland."

Leng Kezhen spoke to Jiang Cun in a low voice.

Jiang Cun came back to his senses and quickly got rid of those emotions. He said to Leng Kezhen: "Commander Leng, we parted in the capital that year, but I didn't expect to meet here. The affairs of the world are really hard to figure out."

Leng Kezhen smiled and said, "I have met the prince several times, but the prince has been studying for many years and has not noticed me, let alone the strange situation in the world."

Jiang Cun glanced at Leng Kezhen with a hint of surprise, then sighed and said, "My studies have been destroyed in a fire caused by the Zhenyang Sect."

Leng Kezhen shook his head and said, "No, Zhonghui Academy has preserved your knowledge completely, and it will shine brightly in the Zhongzhou Continent in the future."

But Jiang Cun was no longer interested in this. He smiled and stopped talking about this topic. Instead, he changed the subject and asked in a low voice, "Will Lord Changqing come in person this time? I would like to pay a visit, but the area within a few hundred miles of Qianmu Temple is under martial law."

Leng Kezhen shook his head, "Not really. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Why should you rush now?"

In fact, Wang Ping did leave a puppet as a way to contact him, but when it was carried out, no one was willing to mention this matter because they were afraid of offending Wang Ping who was in seclusion.

As they were talking, everyone came to a high platform, and several disciples who had just arrived came forward. Their duty was to lead Jiang Cun, Yang Shu and Hong Ze to the main peak.

Jiang Cun followed the disciple and was about to take off into the sky when he looked back at the steps behind him, but he did not see the person he was waiting for.

"Let's go, ninth brother. This ceremony will last for ten days, and you will have plenty of opportunities to meet Princess Xia Yao." Yang Shu's voice sounded beside him, and he reached out and patted his shoulder gently.

The two of them immediately followed the disciple and rose into the sky. Looking at the mountains below, Jiang Cun said, "We no longer have a chance. Let's just treat each other as strangers. This is good for both her and me. I just want to take a look. I don't have any other intentions." Yang Shu didn't say anything more after hearing this.

...

About two quarters of an hour later.

Led by the disciples, Yang Shu, Jiang Cun and Hong Ze landed on a high platform on the southern edge of the main peak. Looking out from here, after their sight penetrated the vast clouds, they seemed to be able to see the end of the north and south continents.

"The Eighth Prince of Linshui Prefecture, His Royal Highness Yang Shu; the Ninth Prince, His Royal Highness Jiang Cun; Taoist Master Hongze of Huixin Island..."

The guiding disciple handed the three tokens to the disciples waiting there, and while bowing to Yang Shu and the others, he announced their identities.

After completing the registration here, two other incoming disciples led them through the mountain path surrounded by clouds and mist and arrived at an independent courtyard.

The disciple who was in charge of meeting the three of them stood at the gate of the courtyard. After speaking a few words to the disciples at the gate, one of them looked at the three of them and bowed, saying:
"Three Taoist priests, if you have any needs, please tell us. As long as our Taiyan Sect can do it, we will do our best to satisfy you. If you want to visit the peaks of Taiyan Mountain, you can also tell us. Except for the Guizhen Temple, which is temporarily closed to the public, other Taoist temples and peaks in Taiyan Mountain can be entered and exited at will as long as the three Taoist priests can obtain the permission of the masters of the Taoist temples and peaks."

Upon hearing this, Yang Shu returned the greeting and said, "Thank you, Taoist Priest, for telling me."

The disciple who led him in quickly said, "The headmaster will hold a banquet in the Guizhen Hall tonight. If the three Taoists are interested, you can go and have a look. If you are not interested, you don't have to go."

After he finished speaking, he and his companions bowed and said in unison: "We will take our leave."

Jiang Cun and Hong Ze also bowed in greeting, and then the three of them entered the courtyard one after another. Yang Shu assigned them, "Hong Ze, how about you live in the east wing?"

Hong Ze bowed respectfully and said, "Your Highness, I have some friends in the Taiyan Sect, so I probably won't live here anymore. If Your Highness needs anything, just send a message via the jade slip, and I will definitely rush back as soon as possible."

Yang Shu nodded gently, "Okay, go and do your work."

Hongze lowered his head and left the courtyard. He received a temporary ID card from a disciple at the gate of the courtyard, then turned into a stream of light and flew towards the mountains in the west.

Jiang Cun sat on the stone bench in the courtyard and said, "Did you hear what the disciple said just now? Zi Luan is so arrogant that he actually calls himself a 'real person'."

Yang Shu smiled and said, "Back then, Lord Xiaoshan, no, now he should be called Lord Xiaoshan Zhen. Before he was promoted, Ziluan, Xiuyu and Lord Changqing were all using the title of 'Zhenren' to command the southern cultivation world."

Jiang Cun frowned slightly. His life was divided into two parts because of what happened back then. He took out an energy crystal with an isolation array and asked Yang Shu, "Do you think Xiaoshan was promoted successfully?"

Yang Shu did not answer Jiang Cun, but warned him seriously: "Don't discuss this topic, we can just cultivate our own way."

Jiang Cun chuckled when he heard this.

Yang Shu tried the teapot on the stone table and found that it was filled with hot tea. He immediately poured himself a cup of tea and said to Jiang Cun, "Don't worry too much. Thinking too much is not good for your practice. You are extremely talented and you are the one with the greatest hope of becoming a dragon among us brothers. Don't be blinded by worldly affairs."

As he spoke, he poured a cup of tea for Jiang Cun and said with a smile, "The tea of ​​Taiyan Sect must be good. Didn't you always drink good tea when you were studying? Don't you want to try it?"

Jiang Cun picked up the teacup and took a sip. Immediately, an unusual fragrance swirled in his mouth. When he was about to comment, a figure appeared at the gate of the courtyard.

It was Xia Yao. She was communicating with the disciples outside the courtyard. Jiang Cun suddenly stood up from the stone bench and walked quickly towards the screen wall. When he approached the screen wall, he suddenly slowed down, adjusted his mood and walked out of the courtyard.

Yang Shu thought about it and stood up and followed behind.

At the gate of the courtyard, Jiang Cun came out and saw Xia Yao, and his mind was suddenly filled with thoughts. Xia Yao was also stunned when he saw Jiang Cun, but then he recovered and bowed and said, "The disciple who just came to guide me said that you were here, so I came here uninvited. I hope that the Ninth Prince will not blame me."

Jiang Cun didn't say anything.

Yang Shu, who came out from behind, stepped forward with a smile on his face and said, "Princess Xia Yao, what are you talking about? We are from the same school, so we should be the ones to pay respects to Her Royal Highness the Princess."

Xia Yao smiled, then looked at Jiang Cun and bowed, "Have you been well these years?"

Jiang Cun tried hard to appear open-minded. He first looked at Xia Yao. Xia Yao was wearing a loose green Taoist robe this time. The hem of the robe fluttered in the wind. The surface of the robe was embroidered with exquisite cloud patterns. Her eyes were bright, with the vicissitudes of life experienced over the years. Her face was beautiful and elegant, with a high Taoist bun and a few strands of black hair falling on her cheeks.

The sunlight from the mountain stream fell on her, adding color to her and also giving her the detachment and indifference of an ascetic.

Jiang Cun looked at Xia Yao at the moment, and suddenly some things came to his mind. He then bowed and returned the greeting with an open mind, saying, "It's fine. I have been studying on the island these years. Recently, I have been studying the Taoist scriptures passed down by Lord Changqing, which has benefited me a lot."

Xia Yao pretended to be surprised and responded, "I have heard that Lord Changqing passed down a Taoist scripture, but I never had the chance to read it."

Jiang Cun smiled, "It's not profound, nor is it some amazing secret method. It's just a very common Taoist scripture. It used to be sold everywhere in the mortal world. I heard that scholars and royal families especially liked it. Now it has spread to Xizhou. If you are interested, you can buy it at any time."

When the two mentioned "Lord Changqing", they both bowed in the direction of Guizhen Hall. After all, this was in Taiyan Sect, and they were in front of Taiyan Sect disciples.

When Yang Shu heard Jiang Cun's straightforward words, he interrupted without waiting for Xia Yao's response, "This isn't a place to talk, why don't you come in and have a cup of hot tea, Princess?"

Xia Yao nodded, "Obedience is worse than respect."

As soon as the three of them walked into the courtyard, they felt two veins of earth colliding not far away.

That was the battle between the monks from the Northern Cavern Gate and the Southern Cavern Gate on the martial arts stage on the mountainside. Although both sides belonged to the same Cavern Gate, they showed no intention of holding back when fighting.

The monks from the Southern Cavern Gate were obviously unable to hold on any longer and were losing ground, but they showed no sign of admitting defeat.

In the stands, Taoist Wu and Wen Hai, who had just been on the immortal platform, sat together, exchanging information in a low voice, and soon talked about the conflict between Zhigong and the demon clan.

Wen Hai said, "I've seen that Taiyan Sect is actively engaging with the demon tribe. In the past few years, many demon tribes have entered and exited the mountain gate, and some demon tribes have helped us dredge the river. I estimate that the mountainous forest area north of Ningzhou Road will still be the habitat of the demon tribe. I think Zi Luan intends to use the former demon tribes of Ningzhou Road to counterbalance the demon tribes in the demon domain."

Taoist Wu heard the other meaning in this sentence and asked in an almost inaudible voice: "Are you saying that Lord Changqing has reached some agreement with the Demon Realm?"

Wen Hai shook his head and said, "Probably not, otherwise Taoist Zhigong wouldn't have had a conflict with the demon race, but the specific situation is probably only known by a few heads and deputy heads."

Taoist Wu sighed, "This fire has changed many things." As he spoke, he looked up to the south, his sight wanting to penetrate thousands of miles to reach Qianmu Temple. (End of this chapter)