Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 450 The Eight Immortals' Lineage, Another Prophecy Heard
Cheng Xinzhan strolled among the clouds.

The protective array of the Immortal Cave and the Azure Dragon Cave each have their own merits. The latter conceals the green mountain in the void, transforming spiritual energy into a bell-shaped formation, hiding its form and shadow, making it as solid as a fortress; the former uses clouds and mist as a barrier, with the mountain hidden deep in the clouds, and to attack the mountain, one must first remove the outer clouds and mountains.

The Immortal Cave was established during the Northern Song Dynasty, more than two thousand years ago. In these two thousand years, enemies have naturally come to attack, but no one has ever been known to be able to break through this cloud mountain. Those who have entered this cloud mountain have never found the Immortal Cave in the clouds, which shows how mysterious the protective formation of the Immortal Cave is.

Another rumor says that this cloud mountain was transformed from the cloud tablet held by its founder, Cao Guojiu, a famous immortal of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is a magical artifact left behind by the immortal before his ascension, used to protect the lineage and the foundation of the dynasty for ten thousand generations. No one below the level of an immortal can break it.

It is precisely because of the mysteries of Yunshan that the Immortal Cave has remained safe and sound through several demonic tides. This time is no exception; once the Immortal Cave locks in Yunshan, the disturbances of the outside world have no further connection to it.

However, Cheng Xinzhan did not think so.

Cheng Xinzhan respected true reclusive sects. For example, sects like Su Xianling and Wuyi Mountain, whose highest pursuit was longevity and enlightenment, secluded themselves on the mountains year-round for meditation and self-sufficiency, neither accepting offerings from the mortal world nor occupying farmland at the foot of the mountain. In times of peace and prosperity, they never sought fame or fortune. It was difficult to impose harsh demands on such sects. Moreover, these true reclusive sects often proactively descended the mountains to do good deeds during years of great calamity. Although they had few disciples, they always contributed their modest efforts, earning the respect of the people.

Unlike Qinglong Cave and Xianren Cave, these two families were originally renowned Taoist lineages with illustrious traditions. They did not engage in productive labor, but rather displayed their magical abilities and were revered as immortal masters and Taoist lords. They possessed countless fertile fields and estates at the foot of the mountain, supporting the family for hundreds of miles around. How could such a Taoist family simply hide away in the face of trouble?

Perhaps they will say that they have done their best and were powerless to stop the closure of the mountain. Perhaps some people will understand and agree with this, after all, the ordinary people at the foot of the mountain change every few decades, how can they be compared to family background and legal status?
But Cheng Xinzhan doesn't think so.

What does it mean to do one's best? It means things like Baiyun Mountain, Yangtai Mountain, and Wutong Mountain, where the ancestral halls were destroyed. It means things like Hengshan Mountain and Luofu Mountain, where the sect leaders took the lead in suppressing the demonic tide before it even arrived.

What are Qinglong Cave and Xianren Cave compared to what we've accomplished?
He had kept his questions to himself before, but today he came to him one by one, wanting to get to the bottom of things.

He strolled among the clouds, sensing the flow and transformation of the Qi (vital energy).

He had always kept the Miao region in mind and had done his homework before coming. Xianren Cave originated in the Northern Song Dynasty and was founded by Cao Jingxiu, a famous immortal and imperial relative of the Zhao family, who was also a member of the imperial family. It has a profound cultural heritage.

Cao Jingxiu was a very famous person. He was born into a mortal royal family, but he was interested in Taoism from a young age. When he was in his forties, he was tired of the mortal world and witnessed the evil deeds of his relatives. He left home in anger and went into the deep mountains. He lived in seclusion in the heart of Miao territory, where he taught the local Miao people civilization and the way of farming and reading. Later, he obtained a connection with the immortals and embarked on the path of cultivation.

His fame stems not only from his legendary origins but also from his much-discussed connection to the immortals. Legend has it that after retreating into the deep mountains, he spent his days teaching the Miao people, instructing them in Song Dynasty etiquette, and his nights dwelling in a cave, subsisting on dew and grass, cultivating his mind and body for ten years. Until one day, a young nobleman visited him, discussed the Dao with him, and asked:

"I've heard of your self-cultivation; what do you cultivate?"

The emperor's brother-in-law replied:

"Nourish the Way".

Follow-up question:

Where is the Tao?

The emperor's brother-in-law pointed to the sky.

Another question:

Where is the sky?

The term "imperial brother-in-law" refers to one's magnanimity.

The young master laughed and said:

"The mind is Heaven, and Heaven is the Way. You have already seen the true nature of things!"

So the young master then bestowed upon Cao Jingxiu the Great Dao of Golden Elixir and the Secret Technique of True Rejuvenation, and then vanished into thin air.

This young man was no ordinary person; he was none other than the renowned Tang Immortal, Han Xiangzi. Therefore, Cao Jingxiu, the Imperial Uncle, was Han Xiangzi's personal disciple and the last of the Eight Immortals of Zhongdong.

After Cao Jingxiu embarked on the path of cultivation, he secluded himself in Miao territory to cultivate and teach others. He also built the Wanli Yunshan Mountain and carved out caves on the mountain for cultivation, which is the origin of the Immortal Cave.

The origin of this legend of immortality naturally lies in the Immortal Cave itself, though some believe it while others doubt it. However, the Immortal Cave does indeed house the largest statues of the Eight Immortals in the world, and the lineage and practice within it is indeed the authentic Zhong-Lü Golden Elixir Dao.

As to whether Cao Jingxiu was actually one of the Eight Immortals of Zhongdong, opinions vary widely. Cheng Xinzhan, however, actually knew the answer to this question.

The answer is yes.

Although the Eight Immortals of Zhongdong span a vast period of time, from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Northern Song Dynasty, the lineage among these eight immortals is extremely clear. Han Zhongli guided Tieguai Li, Tieguai Li guided Zhang Guolao, Zhang Guolao guided Lü Dongbin, Lü Dongbin guided He Xiangu, He Xiangu guided Lan Caihe, Lan Caihe guided Han Xiangzi, and Han Xiangzi guided Cao Guojiu.

Within this tradition, Zhongli Quan, an ancient immortal of the Eastern Han Dynasty, first proposed the method of Golden Elixir cultivation: "Following the natural order brings life, reversing it leads to immortality. The Three Treasures transform, cultivating both nature and life." This provided invaluable theoretical experience for later schools of external alchemy, internal alchemy, and self-preservation. Later, when this path was passed down to Lü Dongbin, he further developed and perfected it, proposing the cultivation sequence of "First life, then nature; refining qi to transform spirit; returning the light to guard the center; condensing the heavenly heart." He also wrote two classic works, *The Collection of Transmissions of the Zhong-Lü School* and *The Secret of the Golden Flower of Taiyi*, summarizing its essentials. For this reason, the Eight Immortals' lineage is also known as the "Zhong-Lü Golden Elixir Way," a prominent school of thought in its time.

In addition, because this path originated very early, many of its cultivation concepts were absorbed by sects such as External Alchemy, Internal Alchemy, Preservation of the Body, Pure Yang, and Complete Perfection. Therefore, the first four of the Eight Immortals have established good relations with many sects and have a particularly high status. As a result, they are very popular in China, with Zhong and Lü being the most prominent among them.

Among these eight immortals, Han Zhongli had discussed the Golden Elixir Dao with the founder of his sect, while Tieguai Li had exchanged techniques on corpse liberation and spiritual travel with his sect's founder. Zhang Guolao, a lover of wine, was a close friend of Mo Taidian, the sixth-generation patriarch of his sect. Before the publication of the *Taiyi Jinhua Zongzhi*, Lü Dongbin had also discussed matters with his predecessors. As for the latter four, they all had some degree of interaction with his sect.

The 6,000-year history of Sanqing Mountain is contained within its grounds. Many ancient tales and legends may seem like fantastical tales to others, but within Sanqing Mountain, they may be clear and detailed memoirs written in black and white.

In addition, he also knew that although the Eight Immortals all cultivated the "Zhong-Lü Golden Elixir Way", they each had their own specialties. For example, Han Zhongli was good at fire magic, Tieguai Li was good at divine travel, Zhang Guolao could cut paper into donkeys, Lü Dongbin could fly swords for thousands of miles, He Xiangu was good at earth magic, Lan Caihe was good at wood magic, Han Xiangzi was famous for his flute playing, and the last one, Cao Xianren, was good at the Way of Clouds and Mist.

That's why the Wanli Yunshan painting, created by the emperor's brother-in-law, is so mysterious.

However, the lineage left behind by Immortal Cao also couldn't escape the cliché of "the blessings of a virtuous person lasting five generations." His descendants failed to grasp the profound Dao of the Clouds and Mountains from the vast expanse of clouds and mist; instead, they used it as a shield, building comfortable nests and believing themselves secure, unknowingly losing their drive for progress. In fact, since Immortal Cao's ascension, no immortal has appeared in Immortal Cave again, and the Five Realms have only had one second-generation patriarch, with each subsequent generation being less accomplished than the last.

The current sect leader, Xi Xinghuai, is at the fourth level of cultivation and is very old. There is no one among the younger generation who can take over. It is very likely that there will be a break in the fourth level of cultivation. Like You Gaomin, he is in a state where he cannot rest in peace even in death.

"found it."

Cheng Xinzhan's heart stirred. Amidst the vast expanse of white and silvery clouds, he caught a glimpse of a unique cloud formation. He used his footwork to follow the subtle change in energy, moving a hundred feet away in an instant. The white clouds in his eyes moved rapidly backward, like streaks of light and fireflies. Then, a stone wall appeared in front of him.

The stone wall was obscured by white clouds, making its edges indistinct; only two rows of inscriptions on the wall stood out prominently:
"Clouds hide in mountain caves, caves hide immortals; the heart embraces the Great Dao, the Dao embraces Heaven."

Cheng Xinzhan read those words aloud.

Clearly, this is the entrance to the Immortal Cave. The first sentence refers to the Immortal Cave, and the second sentence should be from the dialogue between Han Xiangzi and Cao Jingxiu.

After reading it aloud, Cheng Xinzhan shook his head and muttered to himself,

"Immortal Cao had great perseverance and a broad mind. It's just a pity that his descendants failed to cultivate properly. There were no immortals in the cave and no Dao in their hearts. They imprisoned themselves in the clouds and mountains."

As soon as Cheng Xinzhan finished speaking, just as he was about to examine the stone wall closely to find a way to enter the cave, the stone wall in front of him suddenly opened up, and an arched stone door suddenly appeared between the two inscriptions.

A white-haired Taoist priest walked out leisurely.

The Taoist priest appeared to be in his seventies, dressed in a reddish-brown robe and holding a white jade tablet with cloud patterns. He bowed to Cheng Xinzhan and said,

"Is it Mr. Guangfa in person?" Cheng Xinzhan hadn't expected the man from the mountain to appear before she could even ask him. Seeing the man's proper manners, she didn't want to be abrupt, so she simply returned the greeting and said,

"It is indeed I, the humble Taoist. May I ask who you are, fellow Taoist?"

The white-haired Taoist priest replied,
"I am a humble Taoist priest, and I am honored to be the master of Yunshan."

Cheng Xinzhan understood and answered.

"So it's Leader Xi."

"I never imagined that my humble name would be heard by you, sir. I am ashamed, I am ashamed."

The old Taoist priest appeared extremely respectful.

"You're too kind, Master Xi."

Cheng Xinzhan was somewhat confused. This person's words and actions were strange, and his attitude was too humble. Even if the Azure Dragon Cave had sent news and revealed his purpose and realm in advance, the Immortal Cave was protected by the cloud formation, so he shouldn't be so afraid of him.

"Mr. Guangfa, please come inside for a talk."

Xi Xinghuai stepped to the side, extending his arm and hand to guide.

"please."

Cheng Xinzhan couldn't figure out Xi Xinghuai's thoughts, but without fear or hesitation, he politely returned the greeting and stepped into the stone gate with Xi Xinghuai.

Passing through the stone gate, a breathtaking view unfolds, revealing beautiful mountains and clear waters, with vibrant and exotic flowers everywhere. Clouds drift and shimmer in the sky, their light dancing on wisps of mist. On the ground, on the mountains, and amidst the clouds, Taoist priests can be seen everywhere practicing their arts, refining elixirs, and performing rituals – a scene of perfect harmony.

Xi Xinghuai led Cheng Xinzhan, riding the wind and flying higher and higher until they reached a peak above the sea of ​​clouds.

The peak is steep and precipitous, with a green pine tree growing on its summit. Beneath the pine tree are stone benches and a stone table, on which sits freshly brewed fragrant tea, still steaming.

"Sir, please."

The two sat down.

"The fragrance of the leaves is wonderful. Does Master Xi know that I am coming to visit?"

Cheng Xinzhan asked a question he already knew the answer to, thus starting a conversation.

Xi Xinghuai nodded and said slowly,
"Yes, but you might not believe me if I told you."

"Oh?"

Cheng Xinzhan raised an eyebrow. He had come here either to report to Qinglong Cave or because they had noticed his questioning of Qinglong Cave and made some guesses. Could there be a third possibility?
"Appreciate further details."

Xi Xinghuai, with an inscrutable expression, asked,
"Does your given name contain the character 'Yun'?"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded, somewhat surprised, wondering why he suddenly asked this.

For Taoist practitioners, as their Taoist name becomes an official title recorded in sectarian genealogies and is used by others and themselves for an extended period, its importance far surpasses that of their secular name, both in communication and in matters of destiny. For example, whether Cheng Xinzhan is praying to the gods or someone is casting a curse on him, they will certainly use his Taoist name, not his secular name. Therefore, as time goes by, a Taoist practitioner's secular name is something that only they themselves might remember; others will not care about it.

However, although he stopped using his secular name after establishing his Xinfu (Heart Abode), it had remained with him until he was sixteen. Fifteen years in the mortal realm and over a year on the mountain—countless people knew his name; it would be easy to investigate. Given his current status and position within the Daoist sect, many would undoubtedly want to know as much about him as possible. Therefore, Cheng Xinzhan wasn't surprised that his secular name had become known. What surprised him was why Xi Xinghuai was suddenly asking about it.
Xi Xinghuai nodded with a smile, his face full of mystery.
"Does that gentleman possess the lineage of the Eight Immortals of the Central Cave?"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded upon hearing this, acknowledging that he indeed had a strong affinity with the Eight Immortals' lineage. The first immortal sword technique he cultivated, the "Li Huo Ji Ji Jian Jing" (The Swift Sword Scripture of Li Huo), originated from the immortal Tieguai Li, while the pure Yang method passed down in the mountains, the "Taiyi Jin Hua Zong Zhi" (The Secret of the Golden Flower of Taiyi), originated from Zhong Lü.

However, what does this have to do with the Immortal Cave? What is Xi Xinghuai up to?

"That's right!"

Xi Xinghuai slapped his thigh and laughed loudly.

Cheng Xinzhan remained calm and asked,
"Why is Master Xi laughing? And what did he do?"

Xi Xinghuai laughed for a long while before looking at Cheng Xinzhan, his eyes bright and piercing.

"To be honest, my ancestor left a prophecy before ascending to heaven, predicting that two thousand years later, there would be a demonic calamity in Miao territory. He told us, his descendants, to seal the mountains and lock the clouds, and wait for the heavenly secrets."

Cheng Xinzhan raised an eyebrow.
"What heavenly secret?"

Xi Xinghuai said solemnly,
"Our patriarch said that if we remain in seclusion for less than sixty years, a person whose name contains the character 'Yun' (cloud) will break through the magical barriers of Yunshan Mountain and arrive at the Immortal Cave. This person will possess the magical lineage of the Eight Immortals, be the master who vanquishes demons and saves the world, and also be the patriarch who revives the Immortal Cave. At that time, it will be the time for the Immortal Cave to emerge from the mountains and vanquish demons. Our patriarch instructed us to follow him even at the cost of our lives!"

Cheng Xinzhan's expression turned strange.

Is there another prophecy?

"Does Master Xi mean that the Immortal Cave's closure and cloud-locking during this demonic upheaval is due to an ancestral decree, specifically waiting for me to come and break through the barrier to fulfill the prophecy?"

Xi Xinghuai nodded solemnly.

"That's right. Otherwise, why would our sect close its mountain and retreat from the world at such a critical moment? To be honest, since the founding of our sect at Immortal Cave, you are the first person to find the mountain gate by breaking through the cloud barrier while our sect's protective array is operating at full capacity. What else could it be but the efficacy of our ancestral master?"

This is of course due to my own expertise in cloud formations!

Cheng Xinzhan shouted in his heart.

The sect leader and the immortals who remained in the world explained the "Six Dragons Returning to the Sun Ninefold Cloud Barrier Array" in detail to me. I also possess the "Yangming Cloud Hall Gang" and the "Heavy Clouds Covering the Sky Gang," and my body is filled with dragon blood and I wield dragon thunder. How could I not break through a cloud barrier array? What does this have to do with the efficacy of your ancestor?!

It's not hard to investigate names containing the character "云" (cloud), and the same goes for the lineage of the Eight Immortals. It's no secret that the Wanfa Sect cultivates the Pure Yang Dao, and when talking about the Pure Yang Dao, one can naturally bring up Lu Zu.

At this moment, Cheng Xinzhan was 90% certain that the prophecy was just an excuse that the Immortal Cave had come up with on the spur of the moment.

“Sir, the ancestral prophecy is certainly infallible. With your current reputation in the Taoist sect, aren’t you the very one our patriarch spoke of as the savior of demons? The prophecy matches perfectly, it is absolutely certain. Xinghuai hereby earnestly requests that you condescend to uphold the law and lead my disciples from the Immortal Cave out of the mountains to subdue the demons!”

Xi Xinghuai said loudly.

99%!
This is a riddle presented in response to the answer. At this moment, Cheng Xinzhan was 99% certain that Xi Xinghuai was making things up!

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(End of this chapter)