I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 721 Two Prodigies
An old friend of the sect leader?

The group exchanged glances, and the leader quickly clasped his hands in a respectful manner and said, "May I ask your name, sir, so that we may inform you?"

Gu Yuanqing subtly revealed his aura and smiled, "Just say you are the Lord of Beiquan Mountain, and your sect leader will naturally know who I am."

This wisp of aura is only at the Heavenly Transformation level, but to these mountain patrollers and guests in front of them, it means they are definitely experts!

This is, after all, the cultivation world, not the spirit world. Cultivators of the Heavenly Transformation realm are respected wherever they go in this world, even in a major sect like the Spirit Void Sect.

Currently, within the Lingxu Sect, only the sect leader and another elder who has undergone the first Heavenly Transformation Tribulation are Heavenly Transformation cultivators.

The cultivators from the Lingxu Sect were taken aback. The leader, a cultivator at the ninth level of the Divine Platform Realm, quickly clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "Please wait a moment, senior. I will go and inform them immediately."

He then nodded to his junior brother behind him and rode away in a flash of light.

Among the remaining cultivators, one who appeared to be slightly older extended his hand and invited, "Senior, why don't you come with me to the reception hall to wait a while?"

"When in Rome, do as the host says!" Gu Yuanqing said with a smile.

"Please, senior!" The cultivators quickly made way for them.

Gu Yuanqing floated down and landed on a large mountain. This place was still outside the Lingxu Sect's mountain gate. Even though Gu Yuanqing claimed to be an old friend of the sect leader, no one knew him, so naturally no one would rashly bring a celestial being into the sect.

Inside the reception hall, people served spirit tea and spirit fruit, all of the highest quality. After all, Gu Yuanqing was likely a friend of the sect leader, or even a celestial being, so he was considered a distinguished guest of the Lingxu Sect and naturally they dared not neglect him.

A moment later, Elder Qiu Zhichen, a guest master at the Void Heaven level, came to greet them.

They offered words of comfort and concern, while also subtly inquiring about Gu Yuanqing's background.

Gu Yuanqing simply smiled and said he came from Beiquan Mountain, without saying anything else. If he were to reveal that he came from the Qianyuan Sect, it would inevitably cause some trouble. After all, he had only come to pay homage to the mountain and seek out old friends, and he did not want to cause any unnecessary complications, even though he had never taken the people of the Lingxu Sect seriously.

Seeing that Gu Yuanqing didn't say anything, Qiu Zhichen didn't press him further, since Gu was a guest, not an enemy. So he steered the conversation toward the strange and interesting stories of the cultivation world, and they ended up having a pleasant chat.

Just then, a man entered the hall and whispered a few words in Qiu Zhichen's ear.

Qiu Zhichen nodded slightly and replied telepathically.

The man nodded, clasped his hands in farewell, and took his leave. Before leaving, he glanced at Gu Yuanqing. At first glance, he only felt that Gu Yuanqing looked somewhat familiar and did not pay much attention to it. But just as he turned around, he suddenly remembered something and abruptly turned to look at Gu Yuanqing.

"You are……"

The elder in charge of the guest was also startled by the sight. He knew his junior disciple's temperament, yet he had lost his composure like this. A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he secretly circulated his true energy. His left hand, hidden in his sleeve, was forming a hand seal. His mind was connected to the sect's great formation, but he smiled calmly and said, "Qingyun, what's wrong? Do you perhaps know this Master Gu of Beiquan Mountain?"

Indeed, the person who came in was Ji Qingyun, the former patriarch of the Lingxu Sect who once oversaw the Qianyuan Realm. He left the Qianyuan Realm with Zhang Xuanlin back then, and at this time he had already reached the ninth level of the Divine Platform Realm.

Ji Qingyun's expression was somewhat unnatural. Hearing the elder's words, he was even more shocked. When he saw Gu Yuanqing, he only guessed. But with the two conditions of Beiquan Mountain and the surname Gu, how could he not know that his guess was correct? The person in front of him was Gu Yuanqing, the one who imprisoned him in Beiquan Mountain!

Gu Yuanqing chuckled and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "Fellow Daoist Ji, it's been a long time. I've come to visit your sect leader, and I never expected to run into you here. It's truly a pleasure to meet you."

"Nice to meet you!" Ji Qingyun clasped his hands in greeting, looking slightly embarrassed. Back then, he was imprisoned in Beiquan Mountain without any chance to fight back, and was even transformed into a fish and fell into the pool. If the sect leader had not come to his rescue, he didn't know what would have happened to him. After returning, the sect leader also put a gag order on him, so he never told anyone about these experiences.

He looked at Elder Zhike's expression and knew that he had doubts. He also vaguely sensed his uncle's secret wariness. He quickly said, "Mountain Master Gu is indeed a long-time acquaintance of the sect leader."

Elder Qiu Zhichen breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and laughed loudly, "I see. The sect leader should not have been in seclusion recently. He must have already received the report and will send a message soon."

As soon as Qiu Zhichen finished speaking, he suddenly heard eight bells ring out, the sound melodious and solemn. He was startled, for this was the bell used by the Lingxu Sect to welcome guests, and the number of bell rings indicated the strength and status of the person being welcomed.

In the lower realm, the highest form of etiquette for sects is nine chimes. Eight chimes are second only to the formal visit of the leaders, elders, and disciples of the top sects, who come with invitation cards.

Sure enough, a token immediately flew over and landed in Qiu Zhichen's hand, confirming that the bell was meant to welcome the very Lord Gu before him.

As a major sect, Lingxu Sect often receives visits from celestial beings seeking opportunities to attain immortality. He never imagined that Gu Yuanqing's status was so esteemed.

He quickly stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Senior Gu, I was unaware of your identity just now and was quite disrespectful. Please forgive me."

"Elder Qiu, what are you saying? I am just visiting your esteemed place and did not expect your sect leader to be so polite." Gu Yuanqing smiled. He had read the records of Qingping Dao Palace, which included information about Lingxu Sect, so he naturally knew the meaning of the bell ringing.

"Not at all, it's my pleasure. Your arrival is an honor for my Lingxu Sect. Please, senior, take a step closer." Qiu Zhichen extended his hand in invitation.

Ji Qingyun quickly stepped aside. He was one of the few people in the lower sect who knew some of Gu Yuanqing's background. When Qin Wuyai, Li Shi'an and others appeared in the cultivation world, he guessed that Gu Yuanqing might have also come out of the floating world. He even thought that the legendary Yin-Yang cultivator might be Gu Yuanqing. For this reason, he was summoned by the sect leader and given some instructions.

Seeing each other again today confirms my initial guess.

Thinking of these things, he found it hard to calm down. So many cultivators had emerged from the floating realm he once supervised. Not to mention Gu Yuanqing and Li Miaoxuan, even Li Shi'an, Ji Dai and others seemed to have become celestial beings, while he was still only at the Divine Platform. The gap between them was truly lamentable.

Gu Yuanqing followed Qiu Zhichen outside the main hall and looked up.

In the distance, a rainbow bridge stretched rapidly from the top of a mountain peak.

The bridge, as if made of seven-colored glass, seemed to come alive as the rosy light flowed around it. It meandered down from the clouds and, in the blink of an eye, spanned thousands of feet of void, landing steadily in front of the welcoming hall.

The bridge surface shimmered with tiny starlight, and with each step, a golden lotus phantom bloomed, subtly corresponding to the number of days in the universe.

Three hundred and sixty disciples of the Lingxu Sect stood on both sides, their black robes and wide sleeves fluttering in the wind.

The disciple on the left held a jade flute, while the disciple on the right held a scorched-tail zither. Celestial music poured from their fingertips, the sound waves solid and smooth, weaving into seal script runes in the air, clearly displaying the four characters "Lingxu Welcomes Guests," which floated and lingered with the clouds.

Suddenly, a clear and melodious cry of a crane was heard, and the clouds at the end of the rainbow bridge suddenly parted, revealing three red-crowned cranes stretching their necks and letting out long cries, shaking down a sky full of spiritual light with each flap of their wings.

Above the Rainbow Bridge, several elders rode the wind to arrive. The one in the center held a nine-section purple jade staff, the mirage pearl inlaid at the top of which was emitting rainbows, making the entire mountain peak seem like a dream.

This is the way cleared by the crane, and the rainbow bridge leads the way! In a moment, the crane landed in front of the welcoming platform, and the elder in the middle smiled and bowed: "Honored guest, please board the crane!"

Gu Yuanqing clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Thank you for your trouble."

Then he leaped onto the crane.

The crane cried out and took flight, carrying Gu Yuanqing to the top of Mount Taiyan.

Several elders accompanied them, and the disciples played celestial music again, causing spiritual energy to intertwine in the air and transform into celestial flowers that fell to the ground.

At the other end of the Rainbow Bridge, Zhang Xuanlin was dressed in a robe with nine-cloud patterns, a crown with five mountains facing the sky, and shoes that reached the clouds. He looked completely different from the one Gu Yuanqing had seen him in the past.

He clasped his hands and laughed loudly, "Lord Gu, it's been three hundred years since we last met, and your demeanor is even more impressive than before!"

"Senior Zhang..." Gu Yuanqing returned the greeting, after all, this person had once been kind enough to impart knowledge to him.

“Hey, Master Gu, please don’t address me as a senior anymore. I can’t accept that. We cultivators don’t care about age; we only talk about cultivation level and realm. If you don’t mind, Master Gu, then let’s call each other ‘fellow Daoist.’ What do you think?” Zhang Xuanlin said with a smile, trying to stop him.

The elders and disciples who accompanied Zhang Xuanlin to greet him were all shocked, and they could hear two points from the sect leader's words.

First, Gu Yuanqing's cultivation period was not very long; second, this Mountain Master Gu's cultivation level was above that of the Sect Master.

The sect leader's cultivation has already reached the Great Perfection of the Three Tribulations of Heavenly Transformation, and he is only one step away from entering Yin and Yang. Doesn't that mean that the person in front of him is already a Great Yin and Yang cultivator?

No wonder the sect leader used such etiquette; a great cultivator of Yin and Yang deserves it!
Gu Yuanqing landed on the crane and chuckled, "In that case, I shall respectfully accept your offer, fellow Daoist!"

"That's right! Please, fellow Daoist!" Zhang Xuanlin laughed and stepped aside to invite him.

Gu Yuanqing followed Zhang Xuanlin into the main hall, where they took their seats as host and guest, accompanied by a group of sect elders.

Then, a group of disciples served tea and spiritual fruits.

Gu Yuanqing smiled and said, "I only came here to catch up with an old friend and ask for a cup of tea. I am truly flattered by your esteemed ancestor's hospitality."

"Lord Gu is too modest. With your cultivation, if your arrival had not been so sudden, our Lingxu Sect would have held an even grander ceremony," Zhang Xuanlin said with a smile.

Gu Yuanqing chuckled and shook his head: "I apologize for the intrusion and for not being prepared. There are three bottles of Spirit Nourishing Pills in this box, which are somewhat useful for the cultivation of Celestial Beings. Consider this my gift for visiting you. I hope the Sect Master will not find it offensive."

"The Celestial Elixir is priceless, and I, on behalf of the entire sect, express my deepest gratitude. However, we are unworthy to accept such a precious gift."

……

After exchanging pleasantries, they asked each other some trivial questions.

In the evening, a banquet was prepared, and disciples engaged in sword duels and philosophical discussions to enhance the atmosphere.

After the banquet, Gu Yuanqing and Zhang Xuanlin sat in a pavilion in the mountains and then talked about something that was not easy to mention to outsiders.

He looked at the young man in front of him. He seemed to have no change in appearance from three hundred years ago, but his every move exuded a charm that was hard for ordinary people to match. Although the other party had concealed his aura, Zhang Xuanlin could still faintly feel the aura of a superior that he could only sense when communicating with the Three Realms with his divine sense.

This is a natural expression of his extremely high level of cultivation. It is also because he has become a celestial being and has a connection with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth that he can sense it slightly.

In truth, he too was filled with complex emotions. The young man who had once sought his guidance on the Way of Heaven and Man had, in a short period of time, surpassed him.

Cultivation is sometimes unfair; some exceptionally talented individuals can reach heights in a short period of time that others can only dream of in their entire lives.

And the one in front of us is just like that!
"The Mountain Lord must have been separated from the Floating Realm for many years, right?" Zhang Xuanlin asked.

Gu Yuanqing smiled and asked, "How did the sect leader find out?"

Zhang Xuanlin said, "In recent years, the names of Li Shi'an, Ji Dai and Qin Wuyai have been heard from Chiyuanzhou. Although there are many people with the same name in the world, it is impossible for so many people to appear at the same time to be a coincidence."

Gu Yuanqing smiled and said, "I see. It seems that although the cultivation world is vast, news still spreads quite quickly."

Zhang Xuanlin said, "If it were ordinary news, it wouldn't cause much of a stir. However, since there are elders of the Holy Heaven Sect and the Netherworld Sect who have died, and it concerns the great Yin-Yang cultivation, naturally more people are paying attention."

"That's true."

Zhang Xuanlin paused for a moment and said, "So, the Qian Yuan Sect is the sect you belong to, fellow Daoist?"

Gu Yuanqing said with a half-smile, "What the sect leader really wants to ask is whether the Qian Yuan Sect is related to the Heavenly Demon Sect, right? Back then, it seems that quite a few experts came to search for traces of Qian Yuan Island."

"Lord Gu is overthinking it. With the inheritance you've received, you probably don't need to get involved with the Heavenly Demon Sword Master." Zhang Xuanlin was slightly embarrassed. Back then, the Spirit Ruins Sect had experts from the Spirit Realm descend to the mortal realm to pursue them, but in the end, they were seriously injured and returned to the Spirit Realm empty-handed.

Gu Yuanqing chuckled and said, "Sect Master, rest assured, the Heavenly Demon Sect is not worthy of my service. To be honest, I am also curious, who was it that wanted to link Qian Yuan Island with the Heavenly Demon Sect back then? Their intentions are truly despicable!"

Zhang Xuanlin breathed a sigh of relief. He had taught Gu Yuanqing the Dharma and naturally did not want him to go astray. He considered for a moment and said, "Some people say that these words came from the Holy Son of Yunmeng Holy Land, but in my opinion, it should be the people of the Heavenly Demon Sect who want to muddy the waters of the cultivation world. At that time, they seemed to be planning to seize the Sun and Moon Wheel Mirror in order to break open the gate to the Spirit Realm. Therefore, they framed the Holy Son for this matter and thus diverted attention."

Gu Yuanqing glanced at Zhang Xuanlin and smiled, "Is that so? Never mind, it's been many years, and I'm too lazy to think about it now. As for the truth, I'll ask him about it when I have the chance."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xuanlin was startled and said solemnly, "Mountain Lord Gu, you must not fall into the trap of the Heavenly Demon Sect. The Yunmeng Holy Land is not comparable to an ordinary sect. There are countless experts in the Holy Land, including several Hun Tian experts. Mountain Lord, you should think twice before you act."

Gu Yuanqing said calmly, "Thank you for the reminder, Sect Master. I have my own plans."

Zhang Xuanlin wanted to offer more advice, but he thought it best not to speak too deeply with someone he didn't know well. Besides, someone as proud as Gu Yuanqing was not someone who could be persuaded by a few words. Saying too much would only backfire. Once Gu Yuanqing truly realized the power of the Yunmeng Holy Land, he would naturally weigh the pros and cons.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xuanlin changed the subject and said with a smile, "Speaking of which, there is also a genius in my Lingxu Sect who was born in the Twelve Realms. Mountain Master Gu should have heard of him, right?"

(End of this chapter)