Knife splashing

Chapter 185: National Festival and the God-ascending

The journey afterwards was smooth.

Everyone has witnessed the steepness of Mount Huashan.

They left Maonu Cave, passed through Yunmen, arrived at Qingkeping, and then passed Qianchi Chuang.

This is a crack in the cliff. The ancients chiseled stones through the crack in the cliff, and the angle of inclination is almost straight up and down.

The steps were extremely narrow, only half a step, and the ice and snow had not melted yet.

Mount Hua in this world is not like the one in Li Yan's previous life. It had all kinds of protections and chains for traction. It was empty, almost like an ice slide.

If it weren't for their extraordinary skills, even Wang Daoxuan and Yan Jiuling, who often climbed over mountains and ridges, would most likely have fallen down.

This place is also known as the throat of Taihua, and it is rumored that it was opened up during the Han Dynasty.

Originally, the mountain was steep and there was no way to get there. Someone saw monkeys jumping up and down and shuttling between the cracks in the cliffs, so he followed the monkeys and climbed up, only then did he discover this path.

Du Fu once said in his poem: "The carriage has no way back after entering the valley, but the arrow basket has only one door to the sky."

Of course, this is also a strategic point guarding the mountain gate.

The tops of the cliffs on both sides are dotted with small caves, no more than a foot high, like shrines, neatly arranged in a row and covered with stone carvings of immortals and gods.

Li Yan could smell the incense burning around the statues and the gathering of divine energy, as if many immortals were looking down at them as they passed by.

Two Taoists were standing at the top exit. When they saw the group from afar, they bowed respectfully and asked, "Are you Taoist Li from Chang'an?"

"Exactly."

Li Yan quickened his pace and quickly left Qianchi Building.

He raised his head and looked carefully, only to see two Taoists, one tall and one short, one fat and one thin, both wearing black Taoist robes and carrying swords on their backs.

Completely different from the Taoist priest at the foot of the mountain, these two men had clear eyes and much kinder expressions.

"I'm a poor Taoist, Yu Fengzi."

"I'm a poor Taoist, Yu Hanzi."

The two Taoists introduced themselves and then said with a smile, "Master asked us to wait here and said that we must entertain Mr. Li from Chang'an."

Seeing that everyone had come up, the two of them immediately raised their hands and said, "Everyone, please follow us."

The Taixuan Orthodox Sect is huge in scale, almost controlling the entire Taoist tradition in Shenzhou, and its internal factions are even more complicated.

Li Yan had no friendship with the Taoist priests from Chunyang Temple. The reason he treated him so warmly must be because of the warning he had given him before.

The crowd followed the Taoist, crossed the steep mountain walls, trudged through the snow and severe cold, and soon arrived at a Taoist temple.

"Everyone, this is Wangxian Temple, which is often used by fellow believers to rest. The vegetarian meal is ready, you can rest first, and the master will be here later."

The short and fat Yu Hanzi introduced with a smile.

Li Yan asked hurriedly, "We are here to participate in the cellar opening ceremony. Where are the Taoist friends who came earlier?"

The tall and thin Yu Fengzi replied: "This is the North Peak, they are at the Lotus Peak. Don't worry, the environment here is better."

After saying that, he winked.

Li Yan immediately understood, cupped his hands and smiled, "Thank you very much, it is just as you said, this place is very good."

Walking into Wangxian Temple, you will see lush ancient cypresses, isolated from the hustle and bustle of the world.

The buildings in the temple are simple and ancient, with snow-covered eaves, stone railings and red walls, and they seem to be very old.

The room arranged for them was also simple and elegant. The wooden bed exuded pine scent, the bedding was warm, fragrant tea was brewing on the coffee table by the window, and green smoke was curling from the incense burner in the corner, which was soothing.

Soon, the Taoist boy brought the vegetarian meal.

Stir-fried bamboo shoots with black fungus, red date soft cake, vegetable soup and vegetarian dumplings.

To be honest, the appearance is okay, but the taste is just average.

But being able to have a hot meal at the top of Mount Huashan is already a luxury. After all, it is impossible to grow crops on the mountain, and all supplies need to be transported by manpower.

Everyone ate voraciously, and after drinking a few pots of hot tea, the tiredness from the climb was swept away.

The master that Yu Fengzi mentioned had not arrived yet, so everyone was chatting to pass the time.

Yan Jiuling became the center of attention. He was knowledgeable and knew all the stories about Mount Huashan very well. He quoted from classics and everyone listened with great interest.

He sighed, "I never thought that Mao Nu really existed..."

Li Yan had seen it with his own eyes, and had a particularly deep memory of the terrifying appearance of the Mao girl, so he asked, "It sounds like Brother Yan knows quite a bit about the Mao girl. Can you tell me about it?"

"of course."

Yan Jiuling smiled and said, "This girl was originally a palace maid during the Qin Dynasty. Later, during the chaos of the Qin Dynasty, she fled to Mount Hua."

"She received a secret method from an immortal. It is said that she can live forever by eating pine needles. There is a related record in the Han Dynasty's "Biographies of Immortals"..."

"In the early years of Emperor Taizong, Tao Taibai went to Mount Hua to collect herbs and claimed to have seen a hairy girl and had a conversation with her. Cai Yuanchang was also like this. He saw a woman on Mount Hua who was covered with green hair, had a fascinating look, and walked very fast."

"It is said that this hairy girl does not know hunger or cold. Whenever it is late at night and everyone is asleep, she will worship the Big Dipper..."

After listening to this, Li Yan seemed to be thinking about something.

He pondered secretly, and heard this story, and he felt that it was related to the "Immortal Treasury of Immortality".

Is it some kind of medicinal method that allows one to live longer by eating pine needles?
Perhaps it is because of this that the soul of goddess Mao has survived to this day and has not been dispersed by incense.

It’s a pity that it’s been so long since the events happened and although I can communicate with gods, I can’t talk to them and I really don’t know what happened exactly.

Seeing Yan Jiuling's profound knowledge, Li Yan had an idea and took out something from his arms. It was the phoenix gold ornament he got from Yuan Ba.

"Brother Yan, do you recognize this thing?"

After Yan Jiuling took it, he examined it carefully, his eyes becoming more and more surprised, and asked, "Where did you get it, Master Li? This is the order of the witch of Jing. I didn't expect that it also exists in Guanzhong."

"Got it from a friend."

Li Yan casually replied, "Jing Wu... is it a legacy from Jing Chu?"

Yan Jiuling nodded: "Yes, this item involves some secrets. To be honest, I am also researching its origin, which involves the national sacrifice ceremony."

"Although there were national sacrifices in every dynasty, they were different. The Xia and Shang dynasties did not dare to mention it, but the Zhou dynasty was the first to use the name of 'Sheji'. The Zhou rituals were very particular and followed the rituals of the Xia and Shang dynasties. As the saying goes, 'The Zhou dynasty supervised the two dynasties and was full of culture'..."

"At the end of the Zhou Dynasty, rituals and music collapsed, and the vassal states all had their own emphasis on sacrifice. For example, Qi, Lu and the Three Jins worshipped the Five Emperors and the Eight Gods of Qi..."

"The Chu State only believed in three emperors, namely Huangdi, Dijun and Dizhuanxu, and also worshipped ten gods, such as Donghuang Taiyi, Dongjun, Yunzhongjun, Xiangjun, etc...."

"As for the Qin land, they place more emphasis on its main god, Shaoyang Baidi, who is also the god of our Huashan Mountain. Therefore, when the Han Emperor killed the white snake and started an uprising, the white snake was said to be the son of the White Emperor, symbolizing the destruction of Qin..."

"When the Han Dynasty was first established, new rituals were established, and the emperor ordered the gods from all over the country to be brought to Chang'an for sacrifice and to be worshipped together with the gods of the Qin Dynasty. The "Book of Fengshan" in the "Records of the Grand Historian" said: The Liang witches worshipped the sky and the earth... The Jin witches worshipped the Five Emperors, the God of the East, the God of the Clouds, and the God of Life... The Qin witches worshipped the Lord of the She and the God of the Witches... The Jing witches worshipped the lower hall, the God of the Witches, and the God of Life..."

Secret blessing from the Han Palace!

Li Yan immediately understood, isn't this the origin of Ye Kulang and Shangshan...

Yan Jiuling continued, "At the end of the Han Dynasty, the world was in turmoil, the Xuanmen orthodox sect rose, and the Fangxiandao caused trouble. The original Han Palace sacrifices were stopped, and the related witch sacrifices returned to various places. This thing is the Jing Wu's handwritten order..."

As he spoke, he smiled, "I have been interested in ancient sacrificial rituals since I was a child, and my family has collected many such items. Unfortunately, I have to go to the capital to take the imperial examination, otherwise I would have invited Mr. Li to look at my collection." Li Yan said seriously, "If I have time, I will come to visit you."

After hearing what Yan Jiuling said, he had a premonition.

These things might be related to the gods.

As everyone was talking, the sky had already darkened and the bright moon was rising in the night sky.

Suddenly, there was a chaotic sound of footsteps outside the Taoist temple, and an old Taoist priest strode in with many Taoists.

He was tall, with white hair and beard, thick facial features and a ruddy complexion. He looked quite old, but he was quite imposing as he walked with big strides.

When Li Yan saw this, his expression changed slightly.

He could feel that there was no smell on the old Taoist's body. This was a sign that a warrior would have after he had achieved Dan Jin. This meant that the other party was at least a master of Dan Jin.

This is rare in the Xuanmen, after all, cultivators still mainly rely on magic.

"I'm Jingxu, the abbot of Chunyang Temple. Nice to meet you all." The old Taoist's voice was gentle, and it even sounded like thunder.

Although his speech and manner of conversation were as pleasant as a spring breeze, there was an inexplicable aura in him that frightened everyone.

"I've met senior!"

Everyone greeted him quickly.

Even Sharifei stopped smiling.

After all, they were all from the Guanzhong Xuanmen, and after introducing each other, they actually became related.

It turned out that this old Taoist and Qingyangzi, the temple keeper of Xianyang City God Temple, were close friends. Because of this relationship, they spoke even more intimately.

Jingxuzi sighed and said, "I have to thank you, little friend Li, for this time. If it weren't for your warning, something terrible would have happened."

"This evil creature, Hanba, caused unrest at the end of the Tang Dynasty and was suppressed in Longhu Mountain. When the North and South confronted each other in the previous dynasty and the world fell into war, it disappeared."

"More than half of the people in Chang'an Law Enforcement Hall were destroyed, and a large amount of manpower and material resources were transported to Huashan. If something happens here, how can my Chunyang Palace still have the face to guard Huashan?"

Li Yan quickly bowed and said modestly, "It was Goddess Mao who warned me, I was just passing it on."

"No need to be polite. Not everyone can have the ability to communicate with gods."

Jingxuzi waved his hand and took out the small wooden box in his hand. "This thing was used to warn the young friend so that he could be killed. I don't want to take credit for it, so I give it to you as a thank you gift."

After saying that, he opened the small wooden box in front of everyone's curious gaze.

Inside was a strange lizard-like beast, with a long and narrow body, only about one foot long, six legs, and two ridges on its back.

"Is this the fat legacy?"

A hint of curiosity rose in Li Yan's eyes. "This is a legendary thing in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. I didn't expect to see it with my own eyes."

Jingxuzi nodded and replied: "It's just a fat young body."

Li Yan was somewhat puzzled and said, "Forgive my ignorance, what is the use of this thing? Isn't it a demon? Doesn't it have the aura of a demon?"

"Hahaha…"

Jingxuzi stroked his beard and smiled, "Between heaven and earth, both yin and yang have their own principles. Feiyi was born out of disaster. Although there are misfortunes, it is also a blessing."

"The evil spirit has been eliminated by us and suppressed on the top of Mount Hua. It will dissipate in three days."

"This fat corpse is also a treasure from heaven and earth. It can cure epilepsy, madness, and all kinds of poisonous insects. Just dry it, grind it into powder, and swallow it. One mouthful will cure it!"

When Li Yan heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up.

According to this statement, this thing is extraordinary.

Medicine cannot cure incurable diseases, but any medicine that can immediately treat a certain disease can be called a miracle drug, not to mention that it can also kill poisonous insects.

If you encounter a master of witchcraft in the future, there are ways to rescue you.

"Then you're welcome, junior."

With such a reward, Li Yan naturally would not miss it and accepted it respectfully.

Jingxuzi stroked his beard and smiled, "This is what you deserve. Besides, on the day when the cellar is opened, you can be among the first to go and select."

After hearing this, Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan hurriedly expressed their gratitude.

You should know that there are many things to consider when selecting the first batch after the cellar is opened. Generally speaking, the orthodox sects are selected first, followed by the local sects, and the side sects that have obtained the tokens are selected last.

By then, only leftovers will be left.

There is no way, this is Xuanmen, and the rules between heaven and earth have always been like this. Those who are bigger than their fists eat meat, and those who are not able to do so drink soup.

"Young friend, please stay here and live in peace. If you have any problems, you can tell Yu Fengzi. I am busy with other things, so I will not disturb you to rest."

After giving some instructions, the old Taoist left in a hurry, obviously he had important matters to deal with.

Everyone smiled at each other. It was obviously a good omen to have this opportunity right after arriving at Mount Huashan.

At this moment, Yan Jiuling hesitated, gritted his teeth, and said, "Young Master Li, I want to ask you for help with something."

After some conversation, Li Yan had a very good impression of Yan Jiuling and said with a smile, "Brother Yan, please speak."

Yan Jiuling bowed and said, "My mother became insane three years ago. I sought out famous doctors but to no avail. I also tried to invite someone from the Xuanmen sect but it was useless. She was crazy all day and couldn't even take care of herself to eat."

"As a son, I am really heartbroken. I have searched all over the mountains, praying to the gods for my mother's recovery..."

Li Yan understood what he meant and smiled, "No problem, you can go to Beijing to take the exam. We are about to leave Guanzhong."

"Your family is in Yiling, right? Just send us a letter and we'll come to your house to treat you."

According to Jingxuzi, if the fat residue is dried and ground into powder, only a small amount is needed to cure the disease. It is just helping to save a person and is not a big deal.

"Thank you, Mr. Li."

Yan Jiuling's face was full of gratitude. "I have a small fortune, and I will not let you suffer any loss."

After saying that, he hurried back to the house to write a letter.

Li Yan smiled slightly and looked at Sha Lifei and Wang Daoxuan.

"How about heading to Ezhou later?"

"Okay, I was just thinking about going to the land of Jingchu to see it..."

……

The next day, Li Yan got up before dawn.

Huashan is a blessed place. Although there is no spiritual place in the Taoist temple, after practicing some boxing and kicking exercises, I feel relaxed all over.

At this time, a little Taoist boy came in and reported: "Mr. Li, there is someone outside the door who wants to see you."

Li Yan hurried out and found that it was indeed an acquaintance.

The person who came was Shopkeeper Wan, and there was someone who surprised him beside him. It was the master and apprentice of the Meishan Sect in the Jingchu team...

(End of this chapter)