Tomb Robber: I, Chen Yulou, am dedicated to cultivating immortality!

The majestic Taibai Peak.

The eleventh smallest cave in the world.

However, Mount Taiyi in Zhongnan is ranked third among the ten great caves. The Xicheng Cave, with a circumference of three thousand miles, is known as the Taixuan Zongzhen Heaven.

In addition, four of the 72 blessed places in the world are related to Taiyi Mountain.

The fifty-fourth is Gaoxi Lanshui Mountain, the fifty-fifth is Lanshui, the fifty-sixth is Yufeng, and the fifty-eighth is Shanggu Mountain.

Why would these people, who were already shaken, hesitate?

Release the horses into the forest and let them search for grass, shrubs and other green plants in the snow.

All five horses are magical and majestic.

Only one of the white horses had deep, piercing eyes, and a fiery red mane, which gave off a hint of spirituality. Just standing there, it gave people a sense of majesty.

It was Chen Yulou's dragon colt.

Although he could not transform into a demon and awaken his mind like Yuan Hong and Luo Fu, after being with him for a long time, he was able to wash away his mortal bones through the flow of spiritual energy and become psychic.

"Bai Long, take care of your surroundings."

"Wait until we come back."

Chen Yulou patted its head gently and gave soft instructions.

Bailong was the name he gave to the dragon colt.

Because he was born in the Yanglongkeng in Xifeng, Qianshan, his whole body was as white as frost and snow, without the slightest color, except for the mane on his back, which was as fierce as flames, and he ran as fast as a dragon.

I originally wanted to give him the surname Ao.

But after thinking about it, I forgot about it.

After all, he had seen Zhou Jiao and knew very well that there was such a thing as a dragon turning into a dragon. Luofu even had the blood of the phoenix. If an old dragon really showed up one day, wouldn't he be asking for trouble?

White dragon?

This is a good name.

It's catchy and sounds powerful.

Hearing this, Bai Long blinked and rubbed his head gently in his palm.

"Go."

"I'll bring you something delicious when I come back."

Feeling its intimacy, Chen Yulou couldn't help but smile.

Mount Zhongnan has a profound spiritual energy.

There are countless great medicines.

To this day, the old people living at the foot of the mountain are still passing on the ballad "Taiyi Mountain is full of treasures. Don't worry if you are sick, just go up the mountain and pick some grass."

It is even said that there are people who are seriously ill and dying.

I really can't afford the medicine.

He asked his family to send him to the mountains, where he found a cave and waited quietly for death.

but……

a few days later.

The villagers found him returning from the mountain in good condition.

He is full of energy and doesn't look like a dying person at all.

When asked the reason, the man just said that he woke up hungry in the middle of the night, so he grabbed a handful of grass from the wall of the cave and stuffed it into his mouth. Unexpectedly, after waking up one night, he found that his illness was cured.

This incident was spread as if it were a miracle.

Some even said that he swallowed the elixir of immortality planted by an immortal.

Therefore, at one time, countless people came to Mount Zhongnan to seek immortals and medicine.

However, today, when the group climbed up the mountain, they did not meet a single person on the road. That's because Mount Zhongnan has always had a tradition of closing the mountain in July.

After the sixth lunar month.

There is snow in winter and summer, wind and rain are constant, and it is seldom visited by people, so it is commonly known as closed mountain.

In other words, Chen Yulou and his group relied on their extraordinary skills. Otherwise, ordinary people, even experienced hunters or herbalists, would not dare to go up the mountain at this time of year.

Start from the bottom of the mountain.

Climb all the way.

At the beginning, a few people were talking and laughing, and stopped from time to time to admire the wonders of the mountains.

Sea of ​​clouds, steep cliffs, strange rocks, secluded pools, sweet springs, and strong bamboos.

You can also see monkeys climbing across streams, squirrels sitting on treetops chewing berries, and red pandas chasing and playing in the snowy forests.

"There's a hole!"

After a few people walked around a secluded pond in the mountain.

The old foreigner who was leading the way suddenly pointed to the high point of the cliff and exclaimed.

The black stone walls are covered with mosses and green lichens.

There is also accumulation of fallen snow.

But you can still vaguely see a stone staircase.

The marks are extremely shallow, but one can tell at a glance that they were made by someone using a tool like an axe, drilling through them bit by bit.

"Is this... the Hermit Cave?"

Looking down, Partridge Whistle raised his eyebrows and said.

Mount Zhongnan has been a hermit’s abode since ancient times. There are nearly 5,000 hermits recorded in history, and hundreds of them are well-known, from the Taoist founder Laozi, Wenshi Zhenren Yin Xi, Jiang Ziya, Zhao Gongming, to Zhang Liang, Zhong Kui, Sun Simiao, and Lu Dongbin.

From immortals to Buddhism.

From national teacher to poet.

There are countless hermits.

Even though it was his first time arriving here, Partridge Whistle had been traveling around the world for many years and had heard of the name of the hermit in Zhongnan.

"should be."

Chen Yulou nodded.

It wasn't anything else, he just suddenly thought of someone.

Wenshi Zhenren.

Yin Xi.

According to historical records, this person was Laozi's only disciple.

Outside Hangu Pass, Laozi, riding a green ox, was welcomed into Qin, and the Tao Te Ching was able to remain in the world.

However, the name Yin Xi suddenly popped up in his mind, not only because of the title of Laozi's disciple, but also because of... the Hidden Immortal Taoist Sect!
That's right.

He is the Taoist Qingchi who is known as the Immortal in the Clouds.

All the things that happened at Pingshan that day flashed through my mind one by one like clouds passing through the sea.

It is hard to find the Qingchi Mountain, but the Zhongnan Mountain is right in front of you.

As the second generation leader of the Hidden Immortal Taoist Sect.

Even if Taoist Qingchi shows up, we still have to call him Grandmaster.

According to historical records, Yin Xi was dissatisfied with the government of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, so he built a tower made of grass in Mount Zhongnan to observe the celestial phenomena. At the same time, he retreated from the world to practice cultivation and comprehend the Tao Te Ching.

Therefore, the thatched cottage is also called Caolou Temple.

However, after thousands of years, the thatched cottage is likely to have turned into dust long ago. But... such a great Taoist master practiced here for decades. How could the traces he left behind be easily erased by time?
and so.

Maybe we can find what Yin Xi left behind?
Completely complete the Xuan Dao Qi-subduing foundation-building technique? !

Think of this possibility.

Even though he was knowledgeable and experienced, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised for a moment.

"I wonder if there's anyone there?"

"It looks like no one has been here for a long time. It's probably been abandoned."

"That's not necessarily true. You can easily spend one or two days in seclusion and concentration. If you are a great practitioner, it may take ten days, half a month, or even several months."

Break out of your trance.

Just as Chen Yulou was about to speak, he heard the arguing between Yang Fang and the old foreigner in his ears.

Two people were standing on tiptoe, looking deep into the cave.

only……

The cave is located mid-air on the cliff.

There is only a cliff below and shallow stone steps connecting it.

With the vines hanging from the top of the cliff obscuring the view, it was pitch black inside with mist floating around. No matter how wide you opened your eyes, you couldn't see a thing.

"Whether there is one or not, we can find out by going up and taking a look."

"If there really is someone, just say they are here to visit the hermit immortal."

Listening to the two people talking back and forth, Chen Yulou shook his head and smiled.

"This... is not good. I heard that most of these hermits have paranoid personalities and rarely interact with others. If I rashly go to disturb them, what if I anger them? Wouldn't that cause trouble?"

Hear the words.

Yang Fang was obviously tempted.

But the old foreigner on the side hesitated and spoke softly.

"Visiting immortals to seek the truth, walking on the snow to seek the truth, this is an elegant thing."

"If you really meet someone with a bad personality..."

Chen Yulou changed the subject and smiled, "If we can't beat them, can we run away?"

"I……"

The old foreigner almost choked.

After being stunned for a long time, he gave a thumbs up and said, "Manager Chen, you are really amazing. With our brains, we would never be able to come up with such an idea in our lifetime."

It's not just him.

The partridge whistles nearby were also dumbfounded.

Normally, the world-famous shopkeeper Chen is known for being serious, quiet and never smiling, so the contrast is too great now.

"In that case."

"What are you waiting for?"

Yang Fang tightened the whip on his back, rubbed his hands vigorously, and blew a breath of hot air into his palms, "I'll beat you all."

While talking.

He grabbed a protrusion on the stone wall with one hand and pushed it lightly. The next moment, the whole person rushed straight up like a monkey.

Almost vertical cliff.

It was as if he was walking on flat ground under his feet, without any hesitation.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared outside the cave.

She was tiptoeing to look inside through the bamboo curtain at the entrance of the cave.

With the help of a pair of night vision, he could easily see the situation inside the cave, but... he didn't know what he saw, and his face suddenly changed.

"what's going on?"

"Is there anyone here? Why don't you say something?"

The old foreigner noticed something was wrong and couldn't help but look up and shout.

"Yes... that's not right."

Yang Fang nodded, then shook his head repeatedly.

"No, does anyone have any questions?"

Just as the old foreigner was about to speak, Chen Yulou stopped him, patted his shoulder, and said in a deep voice, "It looks like... someone must have passed away."

"Yes, there is only one skeleton in the cave. You will know when you come up and take a look."

Yang Fangzheng was worrying about how to explain it, but when he heard this, he nodded quickly.

“White bones…” Several people at the bottom of the cliff looked at each other.

The atmosphere, which was originally quite lively, suddenly became quite tense.

After a while.

Inside the cave.

By the light of the rekindled lamp.

Several people clearly saw that on the stone bed at the bottom of the cave, there was a skeleton that had been dead for who knows how long, still sitting cross-legged.

Empty eyes.

Looking straight out of the cave.

Although his body turned into bones, one could still vaguely see a hint of unwillingness.

Most of the hermits living in the mountains, avoiding the world, actually do so in order to seek the magic of immortality. It's a pity that they give up everything and end up with such a fate.

How can I be willing?

Feeling the remaining will to die.

Chen Yulou couldn't help but sigh secretly.

There are so many people in the world who seek immortality.

From ancient times to the present, one after another.

After all, they are just one of the countless people.

Now seeing my senior fail and pass away, to be honest, it is like the death of a rabbit and the grief of a fox. It is as if I have seen the future. I am struggling hard in the sea of ​​suffering, and no one knows what the consequences will be.

It was obvious that the brothers and sisters of Partridge Whistle had also thought of this.

There was a trace of sadness on each of their faces.

"Shopkeeper, there are words on the wall."

There was silence for a while.

The silence was finally broken by Kunlun.

"what?"

Putting his thoughts aside, Chen Yulou turned to look at that place.

Kunlun held up a candle and illuminated the deepest stone wall in the cave. A line of inscriptions gradually emerged in everyone's eyes from the shadows.

"Seeking Truth Cave."

The three ink characters at the top should be the name given by the owner of this cave where he lives in seclusion.

Below is a large section of Taoist scriptures, as well as words such as talismans, medicine, gold, jade, and elixir.

However, in the bottom line, you can still see a poem.

The handwriting was illegible, as if it had been carved in a hurry.

"White hair and a hot heart, yellow clothes and a light body, in this lonely and empty world, where can I find immortality?"

The end of the poem.

It is three consecutive exclamations.

Each one was more sloppy and wilder than the last, and each word was more profound than the last, as if he had used up his last bit of strength to carve all his anger, unwillingness and regret into these three words.

"It was inscribed on Donghua Temple by Wang Jian during the Tang Dynasty."

Chen Yulou recognized him immediately.

For a moment, I felt even more emotional.

This short poem of twenty words fully expresses the helplessness and confusion of failing to seek the truth.

“Poor… lamentable!”

"Shopkeeper Chen, who is this person?"

Listening to his sigh, the people behind him also felt sympathetic. The impact of words often hits the heart directly, as if a mountain is pressing on the heart, making it hard to breathe.

It was Yang Fang who broke the silence.

He asked, pointing at the dry bones in the cave.

"There are at least thousands of people who practice seclusion in Taiyi Mountain. How can every one of them have a name?"

Chen Yulou shook his head.

Apart from the most basic daily necessities such as firewood, rice, oil and salt, there were only a few ancient books in the cave.

There are wire-bound books and handwritten copies, but unfortunately too much time has passed and the pages have long been corroded by beasts, and they will break into countless pieces if you just open the page.

"If you want to call it that, the name of the cave is a good choice."

"Seeking the Master of the True Cave."

"Then... should we let the senior rest in peace?"

Yang Fang nodded thoughtfully and continued to ask.

"The yellow-robed fairy has a light body, and dreams between heaven and earth."

"This place is surrounded by steep cliffs, and you can sit and watch the stars. The dragon veins are undulating, and it is the perfect place to sit and die."

Chen Yulou waved his hand and said, "Let's not disturb the senior from his meditation. Just seal the entrance of the cave. This will also prevent insects, birds and animals from coming in to cause trouble."

While talking.

He bowed gently towards the bones on the stone bed.

Partridge Whistle and a few others also imitated him.

We can tell from those ancient scriptures.

The owner of the Qiuzhen Cave is also a fellow Taoist practitioner, so he can be considered a fellow Taoist.

After paying their respects, several people walked out of the cave.

At the entrance stood a bamboo fence. It was not known whether it was built for him by the hermits who were practicing in the mountains, or by the hunters who were collecting herbs, but it was already crumbling due to the wind and rain.

Kunlun and Yang Fang are the best.

Traveling between cliffs.

Bring in some rocks and seal the cave entrance completely.

After doing all this, they finally breathed a sigh of relief, got down the cliff, and continued to climb the mountain steps.

along the way.

Caves similar to Qiuzhen Cave can be found everywhere.

Some people also live in huts.

However, most of them kept their doors closed, and some even hung a wooden sign outside the door with words like "No visitors, please forgive me" written on it.

It would be inappropriate for a few of us to knock on the door and disturb someone's meditation.

Of course, not all hermits hide in caves or thatched huts to avoid visitors, sit on the top of a mountain or cliff, meditate, or pick tea and plant flowers under the forest in the mountains.

There are even old friends who go out in groups of three or four to walk around the mountains, enjoying the scenery and reciting poems.

When I see a few people, I will say hello.

Most of them wore linen clothes, long robes, and Taoist robes, had long hair tied in Taoist buns, had extraordinary demeanors, and called each other Taoist friends.

I thought all hermits in the mountains were like this.

It was not until they reached halfway up the mountain that they saw an old monk in a cassock chanting and meditating on a stone bridge. Only then did they realize that in addition to the Taoists, there were also quite a few monks living in seclusion in Taiyi Mountain.

"Brother Chen, the higher we go, the more dense the spiritual energy seems to become."

After crossing the stone bridge and entering the Lama Cave, we sat with the monk for a while and asked for a bowl of tea. After saying goodbye, we continued to climb the mountain.

Until we reach the top of Mount Dai.

Feeling the sea of ​​clouds around him and the spiritual energy flowing between heaven and earth, Partridge Whistle could not help but sigh in a low voice.

Taiyi Mountain is worthy of being the third best cave in the world.

Except for the Zulong Peak of Kunlun Mountain that day, it was almost the place with the most spiritual energy he had ever seen.

He even thought that if he had time in the future, he would find a secluded place in Mount Zhongnan, build a thatched hut, and use the spiritual energy of the mountain to practice Taoism.

"That's natural."

"Otherwise, why have hermits and Taoists flocked here for thousands of years?"

"Once you reach the top of Taibai Peak and see the palaces, temples and caves in the mountain, you will understand, Brother Dao, that although they are all retreating from the world to practice, they are both striving for higher places."

Chen Yulou smiled brightly and walked lightly and leisurely in the garden.

There was no snow or mud along the way, not a single drop of it got on my body.

Only the wine jug tied around his waist swayed gently back and forth.

It made him look more like a mountain person than the Taoists, hermits, pilgrims and magicians in the mountains.

"How to say?"

Partridge Whistle was slightly stunned and asked subconsciously.

The Kunlun people following behind also looked over with curiosity.

"Brother, what do you think of the Qiuzhen Cave?"

Chen Yulou walked in front with his hands behind his back. He did not rush to explain, but instead asked a question.

"Climbing high and looking far, listening to the sound of falling rain and quiet springs, it is a good place for spiritual practice."

He hesitated for a moment.

Partridge Whistle responded seriously.

"It's a good place to stay for viewing, but it's far from a place for cultivation."

Chen Yulou shook his head.

"There are countless caves in Taiyi Mountain, and there is a saying that there are three lower-grade caves in the mountain."

"The best ones are located in secret and dangerous places that ordinary people cannot reach. The cave entrances usually face east. People drink morning dew in the morning and star spring water at night."

"Outside the cave, there is a waterfall, inside the cave, there is a gurgling spring, it is self-luminous, it has the image of the sun and the moon, there are living plants, it is protected from wild beasts, it is the same in winter and summer, and there is eternal spring all year round."

"For the middle-quality caves, there may or may not be a spring inside the cave. The cave entrance is hidden, either leading to a foreign land or there is a cave inside the cave. There is usually a scripture drying platform outside the cave, and strange rocks everywhere."

"As for the lower-grade caves, they can only provide shelter from the wind and rain for hermits, and protect them from insects and beasts."

Having said this, he turned around and looked at the few people.

"Do you still think Qiuzhen Cave is a good place to go?"

The group frowned slightly.

What he had seen before flashed through his mind. The Qiuzhen Cave was small and narrow, pitch black, with no springs or waterfalls. It did not seem to be of top quality.

"Isn't this a practice..."

Yang Fang finally couldn't help it.

He was extremely eager to practice spiritual cultivation.

I thought that once we entered Taiyi Mountain, we would all be fellow Taoists and naturally there would no longer be any worldly distinctions between high and low.

did not expect.

Even for those who live in seclusion, it is difficult to escape.

Chen Yulou sneered, "Brother Yang Fang is too young. Cultivation is nothing more than money, friends, and Dharma. Do you really think that you can become an immortal by entering a blessed place?"

Hear the words.

The mountain road suddenly fell into silence.

No one spoke.

There are only a few caves that seem similar, but there are so many stories about them.

"Then Shopkeeper Chen... the best cave?"

Chen Yulou stopped outside an ancient pine tree.

Hearing this, he smiled faintly and pointed to the jade peak not far away that towered into the clouds and looked like a fairyland.

"The first one is naturally the Daozu Alchemy Cave."

"Then the residence of Taiyi Zhenren, Lu Zu Chunyang Cave..."

"Further on, there are the palaces, temples and gates in the mountains." (End of this chapter)