I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 736 Same Age
"So you are a fellow Daoist from the Myriad Manifestations Sect. I am Gu Yuanqing, and I have been cultivating in seclusion in the Northern Spring Mountains." Gu Yuanqing cupped his hands in greeting.

"Beiquan Mountain?" The two from the Wanxiang Sect exchanged a glance.

Gu Yuanqing smiled and said, "It's just an overseas place, not well-known. It's normal that you two haven't heard of it."

"So you are a fellow Daoist from overseas. I have long heard that there are countless immortal mountains overseas, like the sands of the Ganges. Of those that are famous, there are only a few in ten thousand. There are countless nameless and ownerless ones waiting to be discovered by a destined person. Many ancient immortals also loved the legacy of overseas and hid their traces beyond the blue waves."

"To be honest, I have never been overseas since I began my cultivation. It is an honor to meet you today, fellow Daoist. May I ask if you have any important business to attend to today? If not, how about my fellow disciple and I host a meal at a quiet and elegant place, with some light wine and spiritual tea? This would allow us, who have long resided inland, to hear about the grandeur of the overseas waves, the wonders of the immortal islands, and your carefree experiences. Would you do me the honor?" said Ji Chang of the Myriad Manifestations Sect.

Gu Yuanqing pondered for a moment and said, "Fellow Daoist, you are too kind. It is fate that we have met you two today. I have nothing urgent to do, but I am just traveling around and experiencing the local customs and culture. Since you two have so kindly invited me, how can I refuse? It just so happens that I have brought some exotic spiritual fruits with me. If you do not mind, we can share them and exchange some cultivation insights, and talk about interesting stories from home and abroad."

“Excellent! Excellent! I have just found a quiet and elegant place, perfect for enjoying tea and discussing the Dao. Fellow Daoist, please!” Ji Chang laughed heartily.

Zhao Yunting stepped aside, his face full of anticipation: "Fellow Daoist, please! Today I must listen carefully to the wonders of that overseas immortal mountain!"

"please!"

……

A secluded and elegant residence deep within a quiet bamboo grove.

Outside the window, the bamboo groves stand tall and graceful, rustling softly in the gentle breeze, occasionally punctuated by the clear chirping of birds.

The room was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and exquisite tea sets were laid out on the tea table.

The three chatted about things overseas.

Gu Yuanqing followed the Divine Turtle of the Mountain-Bearing Mountain and swam in the sea for more than two hundred years. He had seen many strange places, rare birds and animals, and underwater wonders, which he could easily describe.

Furthermore, there were many records within the Qingping Dao Palace. After a long discussion, the two from the Wanxiang Sect came to believe Gu Yuanqing's origins to be mostly true.

When the topic turned to domestic affairs, the fact that the Holy Heaven Sect's headquarters had been breached was inevitably discussed.

These two people were unaware of the inside story; otherwise, if they had heard of Gu Yuanqing's name, they might have connected the two of them.

The cultivation world is vast and boundless. Although the Myriad Manifestations Sect also pays attention to the affairs of the Holy Heaven Sect, this matter is not of great concern to them. They will not spend too much effort to inquire about it. Even if they find out about the matter of the Undying Chaos, they will not deliberately inform the sects in the lower realms, because it would be useless for them to know!
They then talked about the spirit world.

Both of them sighed, "Lingxu Sect truly lives up to its reputation as a great sect, with enduring good fortune. It was originally in decline to the point where it no longer had any Chaos Realm cultivators."

However, in recent years, firstly, the sect leader of Lingxu Sect broke through to the Hun Tian realm, and then a prodigy like Li Miaoxuan emerged out of nowhere, reversing the decline.

Once Li Miaoxuan has fully matured, she can protect the Lingxu Sect for at least 20,000 years!

Gu Yuanqing noticed that whenever the spirit world was mentioned, Li Miaoxuan would be mentioned to some extent.

But to be honest, it's understandable. How could a cultivator like that not attract attention?

"Have you heard an interesting story?" Zhao Yunting suddenly smiled.

Zhao Yunting asked curiously, "Which one are you referring to, Senior Brother?"

Gu Yuanqing also turned his gaze to Zhao Yunting, wanting to hear what interesting things were going on.

“I once heard a rumor, though I don’t know if it’s true or not, that when Fairy Miaoxuan was still a yin-yang being, the holy son of Yunmeng Holy Land fell in love with her at first sight and wanted to become her Daoist partner and bring her back to the Holy Land,” Ji Chang said.

Zhao Yunting laughed and said, "How could the Lingxu Sect allow that? Such a prodigy is related to the future of the sect, how could he be allowed to join another sect?"

Ji Chang laughed heartily: "Junior brother, you don't know this. Although Li Miaoxuan was outstanding back then, she was only a Heaven Transformation cultivator. Who knows how many years it would take for her to truly grow up? As for the Lingxu Sect, there isn't even a Hun Tian cultivator. The reason it's called one of the Nine Righteous Sects is only because of the legacy of its predecessors. The sect leader is about to break through to Hun Tian and has enemies outside. He wants to seek the protection of the Yunmeng Holy Land, so he is happy to see this happen."

Zhao Yunting asked curiously, "What about Fairy Miaoxuan? Is she willing?"

Ji Chang chuckled and said, "If she was willing, then there would be no future issues. It is said that Fairy Miaoxuan was born in the Floating Realm on the Trial Road and entered the Spirit Ruins Sect via the Heavenly Path. Before she left the Floating Realm, she was already married with a husband and children. Of course, some people say that she was devoted to the Dao and did not want to have any romantic entanglements. Therefore, she refused on this basis and would not harm the harmony with the Yunmeng Holy Land."

It is said that some elders within the Lingxu Sect had reservations about this back then, and Li Miaoxuan faced considerable pressure within the sect. She was forced to leave the sect at the Heavenly Transformation level and go to the outer battlefield to prove her loyalty and avoid trouble.

Zhao Yunting asked in surprise, "Is that so? But isn't the Lingxu Sect worried that she might be dissatisfied with the sect?"

Zhao Yunting said, "So, after she becomes a Yin-Yang Zhou Tian cultivator, she will be made the senior sister. In terms of status, she is only below the sect leader and a few elders, and her status is equivalent to that of an ordinary elder. She is also considered one of the candidates for the Lingxu Sect sect leader. If she really becomes a Hun Tian cultivator this time, then the next sect leader position will most likely be hers!"

Gu Yuanqing listened from the side, his expression slightly unnatural, and his heart was slightly shocked. He had never expected that Li Miaoxuan had such things in the Lingxu Sect.

Although Li Chengyi had met Li Miaoxuan, Li Miaoxuan had obviously never mentioned these things to him.

Ji Shan also mentioned Li Miaoxuan, but as a great cultivator of his time, he had never paid much attention to the romantic entanglements between these younger generations, nor was he in a position to discuss other people's private affairs.

As for Zhang Xuanlin, he might know about this, but he would never expose the shortcomings of his sect. He only said that Li Miaoxuan wanted to find relatives from the Ding Twelve Realms.

Therefore, it's understandable that I feel conflicted when I hear these things from someone else.

Ji Chang and the others thought it was just an amusing incident, but he himself was the person involved.

Especially after hearing Li Miaoxuan say that she was already married with a husband and children before embarking on the path to heaven, even with his cultivation and state of mind, he found it difficult to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

Gu Yuanqing had always been grateful to Li Miaoxuan. Even though he himself had not done anything wrong when that happened back then, in a court like the Daqian Dynasty where imperial power was supreme, being killed would only be a matter of bad luck, and there would be no ripples in the world.

He survived only because of Li Miaoxuan's protection.

After that, the cultivation methods he practiced after entering the Dao also came from her.

In other words, without her protection, he would have died long ago, and there would have been no chance for him to bind with Mount Ling, let alone achieve what he has today. And now, with a house full of children and grandchildren, it is also thanks to Li Miaoxuan.

Therefore, he owes her a great deal.

Upon hearing this, I felt an urge to immediately go to the spirit world.

"Fellow Daoist Gu, what's wrong?" Ji Chang noticed that Gu Yuanqing's expression was strange and asked.

Gu Yuanqing came to his senses, calmed himself down, and said, "It's nothing. I just heard you two talking about this Li Miaoxuan, and I was thinking that if I have the chance in the future, I will definitely want to meet her and get to know her."

Ji Chang laughed heartily: "Among the younger generation of cultivators in the world, who wouldn't want to see Fairy Miaoxuan in person? Even I am no exception. However, it's not too difficult to see her. If she can survive this Chaotic Tribulation, she will likely hold a Chaotic Banquet. Even if she doesn't hold a banquet, she will still serve as the guardian of Taixu Town and will definitely appear in the battle against the extraterrestrial demons. However, if you want to get to know her, that won't be so simple."

Gu Yuanqing smiled wryly, but did not try to refute anything.

That concludes the discussion about Li Miaoxuan.

Before we knew it, the conversation had turned to the path of spiritual practice.

Ji Chang and Zhao Yunting exchanged a glance, then Ji Chang asked as if seeking guidance, "Fellow Daoist Gu, the methods of cultivation overseas have always been mysterious. We cultivators hone our inner worlds in the Heavenly Transformation Realm, striving to transform the illusory into the real, which is extremely difficult. In particular, the Heavenly Tribulation is more intense with each passing day, not only tempering the nascent form of the world but also putting our will and Dao heart to a great test. I wonder if any fellow cultivators overseas possess any profound methods for this?"

Gu Yuanqing sensed the pure aura of the Formless Heart Sutra emanating from Zhao Yunting and noticed the exchange of glances between the two brothers. His mind was clear as a mirror, and he chuckled lightly, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, you are too kind. I dare not presume to possess such a profound method. Though the world is vast, the foundation of the Great Dao is ultimately interconnected. Refining the void into reality at the Heavenly Transformation Realm is inherently defying the heavens. The Heavenly Tribulation is a test and tempering by the Heavenly Dao, and its difficulty is inevitable."

At this point, he changed the subject slightly, glancing at Zhao Yunting seemingly unintentionally, and then said, "However, the overseas lands have vastly different environments and may have different focuses. I have heard that there are methods in the Divine Land that emphasize controlling all forms with formlessness and receiving the majesty of Heaven with humility."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yunting was slightly taken aback. The core of the method in the Formless Heart Sutra is to control all phenomena with formlessness. Gu Yuanqing's words seemed to be pointing out the method he was practicing, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

"The mind is like a clear mirror, reflecting heaven and earth. When the Heavenly Tribulation descends, its destructive power also contains the vitality of creation and fragments of pure Heavenly Laws. To confront it head-on is not a good strategy. Rather, one should guide its power, like a craftsman using water to polish rough jade or using the wind to forge refined steel..."

As he spoke, Gu Yuanqing casually dipped his fingertip in tea and drew a tiny, constantly rotating vortex on the table, as if it could absorb the surrounding light.

…This method allows the calamity's power to evenly cleanse every part of one's inner world, while simultaneously using one's mind to perceive and absorb the broken Heavenly Laws within the calamity's power, thus replenishing the foundation of one's own world. In this way, after the calamity passes, the impurities are removed, and the world of heaven and man becomes more stable, bringing one closer to 'truth'. However, this method demands extremely high control over the mind, requiring a state of mind that can tolerate nothing…

Ji Chang had been listening quietly, but the more he listened, the more serious his expression became, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

His cultivation was higher, and he was able to better appreciate the subtlety and profoundness of these words, which were almost pointing directly to the mystery of the Yin-Yang realm!

After Gu Yuanqing finished speaking, Ji Chang and Zhao Yunting were both stunned and speechless. They felt that Gu Yuanqing's words pointed directly to the Great Dao, and were more profound than any other sermons they had ever heard before.

It took them a long time to come to their senses.

The way people looked at Gu Yuanqing had changed. This person not only had extraordinary knowledge, but also seemed to have a deep understanding of their own fundamental cultivation method? Just who was he? Was he really just a rogue cultivator from overseas?

This discussion of the Dao didn't feel like a discussion of the Dao, but rather like guidance. I felt that my own Daoist cultivation had unknowingly increased as a result.

Ji Chang stood up, bowed slightly, and said, "Brother Gu's words are truly insightful! I have learned a great deal!"

Zhao Yunting also quickly stood up and bowed along with his senior brother.

At this moment, Gu Yuanqing appeared somewhat unfathomable to the two of them.

Gu Yuanqing stood up to help them up, and laughed heartily, "You two are too kind. It was just a casual chat between fellow Daoists, and we only gained some insights along the way."

The three sat down again, but during their conversation, Ji Chang and Zhao Yunting were much more respectful than before.

Gu Yuanqing remained calm. This "sitting and discussing the Dao" could be considered as settling some past karmic debts with the Myriad Manifestations Sect.

After a while, Gu Yuanqing said seemingly unintentionally, "Fellow Daoist Zhao must still be very young. He is exceptionally talented and has a very promising future."

Zhao Yunting smiled wryly: "In the past, if I heard you say such things, I would have gladly agreed. But after hearing about Li Miaoxuan, how could I dare to say anything about her talent? She is about the same age as me, but her strength is worlds apart."

Ji Chang patted Zhao Yunting on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Junior brother, please don't say that. Although you can't compare to someone as rare as Li Miaoxuan, you are only a little over three hundred years old and have already become a second-level Heavenly Tribulation expert. You are also a genius. You must not let Li Miaoxuan affect your Dao heart."

Zhao Yunting's expression brightened, and he said, "Of course not!"

Gu Yuanqing glanced at Zhao Yunting, and for some reason, suddenly had a thought and asked, "Over three hundred years old? What year was Fellow Daoist Zhao born?"

Zhao Yunting was taken aback for a moment, but still said, "It should be the 6,792nd year of the Qixuan Era!"

Gu Yuanqing did a rough calculation and was slightly surprised. If you really had to calculate it, it seemed that Zhao Yunting was the same age as him.

At his level, he is in harmony with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, and can naturally sense the Dao of cause and effect. In the past few days, he has encountered the people of the Myriad Manifestations Sect three times by chance, and he has a feeling that he has a cause and effect with them. Moreover, once this thought arises, it is difficult to suppress.

That's why I was invited here today.

In fact, at first, he thought that Zhao Yunting might be practicing the Wuxiang Heart Sutra, which was related to the Wanxiang Sect.

But just now, on a whim, I asked that question, and some thoughts started to come to mind.

Of course, this doesn't prove anything. There are countless people of the same age in the world. However, someone of his cultivation level would not suddenly have a whim for no reason.

He suddenly remembered that Li Miaoxuan had said that she and Gu Yuanqing had met once before. Strangely, even though he had achieved the Hun Tian realm and all the past events were vivid in his mind, he couldn't recall when they had met.

"Perhaps, the only way to find out is to meet her and ask her in person."

(End of this chapter)