I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 746 Old friend?

Guided by Cao Zhengping, we passed through the front hall and walked along a secluded mountain path, finally arriving at the true gate of this blessed land.

A massive, illusory barrier, seemingly woven from light, shadow, and water vapor, shimmered with iridescent light and faintly revealed mysterious runes.

This is the first gateway to the wondrous blessed land!
Cao Zhengping cast a spell, and the mist dispersed, revealing a passage. Four cultivators dressed in the robes of inner disciples of the Lingxu Sect appeared, all of whom were at least at the Void Heaven level.

The leader was a second-stage Heavenly Calamity cultivator, with a deep and imposing aura and sharp, lightning-like eyes.

Beside them lay a strange beast, entirely black in color, resembling a Qilin, with a single horn. Its nostrils twitched slightly, as if it were discerning every subtle change in the aura of the newcomer.

Upon arriving at this place, Cao Zhengping also suppressed all his emotions and became extremely serious.

He stopped and bowed to the leading disciple guarding the mountain, saying, "Senior Brother Qi, this distinguished guest has come to visit with a token from the Spirit Treasure Holy Land."

"The Sacred Land of Spiritual Treasures?" The leading disciple guarding the mountain showed slight surprise.

Upon hearing this, the scrutinizing gazes of the group softened slightly.

Lingbao Holy Land is the head of the righteous sects, and its Holy Lord is also a Spirit Venerable. Its prestige in the Spirit Realm can be said to be unparalleled.

The disciples of Lingbao Holy Land are naturally also distinguished guests of various sects.

Cao Zhengping's lips twitched slightly, and he secretly said through telepathy, "He is not a disciple of the Lingbao Holy Land, but the token in his hand is indeed from the Lingbao Holy Land and is not an ordinary object. It seems to have an extraordinary origin. He said he wanted to visit Senior Sister. I am not sure either, but since it is related to the Lingbao Holy Land, I cannot refuse him."

The leading disciple guarding the mountain glanced at Cao Zhengping discreetly, then said to Gu Yuanqing, "It is my duty to request that you, esteemed guest, present your token for inspection!"

Gu Yuanqing remained calm and handed over the Star Token again.

He wasn't surprised by this. The Spirit Ruins Sect was a top sect in the Spirit Realm, and not everyone could go there. In fact, most cultivators in the cultivation world could only wait at the outer gate, pass on information, and be received by inner disciples. Only after being checked could they enter.

The disciple guarding the mountain accepted it with both hands and examined it carefully.

A glint of spiritual light emanated from his fingertips as he carefully rubbed and sensed the ancient runes on the token. He then examined the extremely subtle refining marks on the inside of the token against the light and shadow, and even secretly activated an identification technique.

The beast suddenly opened its eyes, a hint of doubt flashing in its golden pupils. It seemed to be unaware of anything unusual, yet it instinctively sensed an indescribable feeling.

The disciples' gazes fell on the strange beast, and they felt a slight chill in their hearts, secretly activating their cultivation techniques.

But the beast only let out a low growl and lay back down.

The disciples guarding the mountain finally relaxed.

A moment later, Senior Brother Qi confirmed that the token was indeed from the Spirit Treasure Holy Land, and of extremely high authority. The solemnity on his face turned into a hint of respect, and he returned the token with both hands: "The token is correct. Please forgive my rudeness, esteemed guest."

However, he did not immediately step aside, but continued, "Within this blessed land, there are many restrictions. To avoid accidental activation, we must apply a temporary 'Clear Radiance Guiding Seal' to our honored guest. This seal will only last for three days, and our honored guest can pass safely along the designated path."

As he spoke, he guided a wisp of pure Lingxu Sect Daoist energy, drawing a complex silver rune in the air and gently pointing it at Gu Yuanqing.

The talisman disappeared upon contact with the body, merging into Gu Yuanqing's sleeve and emitting a faint glow that seemed to resonate subtly with the surrounding formation.

Only then did the disciple guarding the mountain step aside and say, "That's enough. Junior Brother Zhou, please take our distinguished guest to the Silent Courtyard."

“Yes!” replied a young disciple guarding the mountain.

Cao Zhengshan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as he clasped his hands in a fist salute to Gu Yuanqing, saying, "Brother Dao, I have other important matters to attend to, so I will not keep you company any longer."

"Thank you, fellow Daoist!" Gu Yuanqing clasped his hands in thanks.

Cao Zhengshan turned and left.

"Please come in, esteemed guest!" said Junior Brother Zhou, stepping aside.

Gu Yuanqing stepped forward, following the disciple who was leading the way, and entered the illusory mist barrier where light and shadow flowed.

The moment I passed through the barrier, it was as if I had passed through a cool curtain of water, and the scenery before my eyes suddenly changed.

If the area outside the barrier is a celestial realm, then the area inside the barrier is a true paradise!

The incredibly pure spiritual energy of heaven and earth transformed into a hazy mist. Taking a breath made one feel as if every pore on their body opened up, and their magical power became more active.

In the distance, verdant peaks rise one after another, shrouded in ethereal light, with pavilions and vermilion walls nestled among them.

Every now and then, a faint, almost imperceptible aura would sweep across the area; it was the inner sect elders of the Lingxu Sect or the forces guarding from the shadows conducting routine patrols.

Occasionally, celestial cultivators would pass by in the sky, all following specific trajectories in an orderly fashion.

The wide road underfoot is paved with bluestone, and exotic flowers and plants on both sides exude a refreshing fragrance.

Gu Yuanqing could clearly sense that hidden within the seemingly ordinary scenery on both sides of the road were countless dangerous restrictive runes, and the space itself faintly exuded a strange sense of stability intertwined with distortion.

Without the specific fluctuations emanating from the "Guiding Radiance Seal" beneath his sleeves, he feared that a single misstep would immediately bring about a thunderous attack.

Gu Yuanqing remained calm and followed the guiding disciple toward the guest courtyard area.

The deeper you go, the more you can feel the profound foundation and power of the Lingxu Sect.

The guest quarters of Lingmiao Blessed Land, which are exclusively for visitors, are located on the outskirts of the blessed land. At least, ordinary guests can only stay here, which is also for the safety of the sect.

The Lingxu Sect's guest quarters are divided into four levels: Xu, Ji, Ling, and Xuan.

The Xuan-character courtyard is only for visitors at or below the Divine Platform Realm; the Ling-character courtyard is for those in the Void Realm; the Ji-character courtyard is mostly for Celestials; and the Xu-character courtyard is for distinguished guests of sects and great cultivators above the Yin-Yang Realm.

Gu Yuanqing was led by the disciple to a relatively spacious yet still elegant hall in the Ji Zi Yuan area.

Above the door hangs a plaque with silver characters on a black background, which reads "Jiwu Hall".

Inside the hall, a short, stout middle-aged man dressed in a gray-blue deacon's uniform was sorting through jade slips.

The disciple leading the way called out, "Junior Brother Ding, this distinguished guest has been arranged in the Silent Courtyard. Please make proper arrangements for him."

Upon hearing this, the steward, referred to as Junior Brother Ding, immediately put down his work and hurried forward. His gaze quickly swept over Gu Yuanqing before he cupped his hands in greeting and gestured for him to enter. His tone was neither humble nor arrogant: "My name is Ding Mincai, and I am in charge of all the mundane affairs of the Jizi Academy. Please come in and have a seat, fellow Daoist. I will register you in the register and select a suitable courtyard for you."

Seeing this, the disciple who was leading the way said to Gu Yuanqing, "Honored guest, now that you have been escorted to the Jiwu Hall, Junior Brother Ding will handle the follow-up matters properly for you. I will take my leave now."

Gu Yuanqing nodded slightly: "Thank you for your trouble."

After the disciple who had led the way left, Ding Min led Gu Yuanqing to sit down on a sandalwood chair on one side of the hall. He then took out a brand-new jade slip and a glittering talisman brush from behind the table and asked, "Please tell me your honorable name, how many days you plan to stay in the sect, and if you have any special preferences, such as a preference for quiet or a need for alchemy or weapon crafting in the Earth Fire Chamber, please let me know so that I can arrange the most suitable courtyard for you."

Gu Yuanqing calmly said, "Gu Yuanqing. The duration of the stay... is not yet determined, it depends on the situation. All I need is a quiet courtyard, nothing else." Ding Mincai wrote "Gu Yuanqing" on the jade slip with lightning speed, and when he heard "stay undetermined," the tip of his pen paused almost imperceptibly, but he did not ask any further questions.

He put down his talisman brush and took a jade plate from the table, which was engraved with a miniature map of the Silent Courtyard. The light spots on the plate flickered, representing the vacancy status of different courtyards.

He gently pointed to a relatively secluded spot of light: "What do you think of Bamboo Garden? This garden is near a tranquil bamboo grove, quite secluded."

Gu Yuanqing glanced at the point of light and nodded: "Okay."

“Okay.” Ding Min immediately took out a restriction token engraved with the words “Zhu You” from the treasure cabinet behind her and presented it with both hands.

"Honored guest, you may freely enter and exit the courtyard with this token, and you may also control the basic formations within the courtyard. If you have any needs, whether you need a servant disciple to clean, serve spiritual food, or deliver messages, simply activate the token with your magic power, and the disciple on duty will come to obey your orders."

Gu Yuanqing took the token; it was cool to the touch.

Ding Mincai added, "There is a dining hall within the sect, and you can also instruct your disciples to deliver spiritual food to the courtyard. This is a jade slip containing the precautions for the Silent Courtyard; please take a look." As he spoke, he handed over another jade slip.

After doing all this, Ding Min bowed again and said, "I will now lead you to the Bamboo Grove Garden."

"Good work."

After a while.

"Distinguished guest, what do you think of this courtyard?" Ding Mincai said.

Gu Yuanqing looked around and smiled, "Quiet and elegant, very good."

"Is there anything else you need, esteemed guest?" Ding Min asked.
Gu Yuanqing asked, "May I ask how to get to Shixu Peak?"

Ding Mincai said, "Is our honored guest wishing to visit Senior Sister Miaoxuan?"

“Not bad,” Gu Yuanqing said.

“If that’s the case, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a while. Senior Sister is in seclusion, preparing to undergo her tribulation, and will not be receiving guests. Of course, if you would like to give it a try, I can arrange for someone to show you the way,” Ding Min said.

"Then I'll have to trouble Deacon Ding!"

Ding Mincai pondered for a moment and said, "It's getting late today, and Shixu Peak only receives visitors in the early morning. How about this, I'll arrange for someone to guide our distinguished guest tomorrow morning."

……

Gu Yuanqing entered the hospital and activated the magic array in the courtyard. Then, with a wave of his hand, the array artifact flew out, setting up his own magic array in the courtyard to isolate the inside from the outside. This was perfectly normal for cultivators.

There seemed to be quite a few people living in this courtyard, but Gu Yuanqing didn't recognize any of them and had no intention of getting to know them. For him, there was only one purpose in coming here: to see Li Miaoxuan. As for the others, even the sect leader of the Lingxu Sect, he saw them as no different from ordinary people.

Before long, more servant disciples brought over spiritual fruits, tea, and spiritual food.

At night, Gu Yuanqing stood in the courtyard, looking towards the direction of Shixu Peak in the distance.

That was where Li Miaoxuan was, but the Void Heavenly Eye was isolated by numerous magical formations.

Of course, with his cultivation level, he could still manage to get a glimpse of the Time Peak, but that would inevitably cause a commotion, so there was no need for that.

The only hope is that things will go more smoothly tomorrow.

The second day, at noon.

Ding Mincai led a young disciple at the Divine Platform Realm named Lang Yifei to Gu Yuanqing's courtyard.

Ding Min stopped three zhang outside the courtyard gate, straightened his robes, and then raised a gentle spiritual energy to ask, "Is Brother Gu in the courtyard?"

The courtyard gate opened silently, and Gu Yuanqing, dressed in a blue robe, slowly stepped out.

Ding Mincai quickly introduced, "Brother Gu, this is my junior disciple Lang Yifei."

Lang Yifei stepped forward, bowing respectfully, but his tone was clear and crisp: "Inner disciple Lang Yifei will guide you to Shixu Peak. Please follow me, senior."

Gu Yuanqing nodded slightly and did not ask any further questions: "Thank you for your trouble."

As Ding Mincai watched the two leave, a hint of mockery flashed across his otherwise friendly smile.

……

Lang Yifei was clearly very familiar with the path, leading Gu Yuanqing through the mountains with swift steps, always keeping half a step ahead of Gu Yuanqing as a sign of respect.

The further Gu Yuanqing went, the more he could feel a faint, intangible sense of oppression that made his mind tense. It was a sign that the aura of calamity was gathering and enveloping him.

This also indicates that the day Li Miaoxuan faces her tribulation is drawing ever closer!

Half an hour later, they arrived at the foot of the Time Peak, where the strange phenomenon of the four seasons intertwined was clearly visible.

Before the two could reach the summit, a figure in pure white suddenly appeared and blocked their way.

She was a female cultivator with a cold face and an upright posture. She was also dressed in inner sect attire, but her cultivation level was obviously far higher than Lang Yifei's. She was a cultivator at the second tribulation of the Heavenly Transformation Realm.

Upon seeing this, Lang Yifei immediately stopped and bowed, saying, "Lang Yifei greets Uncle-Master Liu!"

The female cultivator addressed as Martial Aunt Liu glanced at Lang Yifei, then her gaze fell on Gu Yuanqing behind him. Her delicate brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. She did not return the greeting, but coldly asked, "This is Shixu Peak, where only female cultivators of the sect are allowed to go. What brings you here with an outsider?"

Lang Yifei quickly explained, "This is Gu Yuanqing, a distinguished guest of the sect. Senior Gu is an old friend of Martial Aunt Miaoxuan. He has come to pay a visit. Please ask Martial Aunt Liu to convey his regards."

"Senior Sister is about to undergo her tribulation and is focused on her studies. She will not see anyone. Please return." Martial Aunt Liu's gaze grew even colder, her words calm and leaving no room for negotiation. This kind of thing had happened far too many times before. She had reported it before, but now, she was always blocked at the foot of the mountain.

These people don't even realize that even the Holy Son of Yunmeng Holy Land can't see the Senior Sister, let alone others.

As for old friends, that's utter nonsense. The eldest sister comes from the Floating Realm and is devoted to cultivation. She never shows any kindness to outsiders, so where would she get any old friends?

Looking at Gu Yuanqing, who was only brought by Lang Yifei, it's clear that his cultivation level and status are not very high.

She paused, then her tone hardened: "Do not linger here, lest you disturb the energy of the peak."

Lang Yifei had actually anticipated this scene and was not surprised. He turned to look at Gu Yuanqing.

Before Gu Yuanqing could speak, the female cultivator said coldly, "Also, go back and tell the guest hall not to bring outsiders to Shixu Peak again. If they disturb Senior Sister's cultivation, can they bear the consequences?"

(End of this chapter)