I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 197 The Mountain God's Words: What If One Fails to Obtain the Dao?

Sure enough, there were quite a few more words added to it.

A cursory look.

A family surnamed Lin in the county once encountered a water spirit who asked them for directions. They received a purse as a token of their gratitude. That night, upon opening the purse, they discovered a priceless pearl inside, as lustrous as the moon. They sold it for several dozen strings of cash, making the whole family a fortune.

After Tengyun left that day, the two junior disciples of Yunmeng Mountain worked hard and learned the art of flying.

Shuijun searched everywhere for the person, regretting that he hadn't been shameless enough to ask about it that time.

I jotted down a lot of bits and pieces.

There were also instances of emperors ordering people to paint.

"During the Kaiyuan era, the emperor performed the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai and saw an immortal riding on a cloud passing by. All the ministers congratulated him, saying, 'This is a sign of a prosperous age and the virtue of a wise ruler.' The emperor then bestowed the title of Heavenly King upon the god of Mount Tai and summoned Wu Daozi to draw auspicious symbols. Just as he was about to dot the eyes of the immortal, the silk suddenly burst into flames, and the immortal disappeared without a trace."

"When Princess Yuzhen heard of this, she visited Sima Chengzhen to inquire about the mysteries of the universe."

He replied, “The appearance of immortals cannot be described by paintings. In the past, Zhang Sengyao painted a dragon and it flew away after he dotted its eyes. How much more so a true immortal?” The princess was disappointed and went to Mount Tiantai alone to follow Chengzhen into the Daoist path of cultivation.

……

"gentlemen!"

Jiang She was reading when suddenly a sound came from outside the carriage.

The City God, along with three civil and military judges, dressed in official robes, floated out of the statue and walked among the mortals, respectfully seeing them off.

The wandering spirit, who usually paid special attention to that alley, saw two carriages leave and floated down to listen. He heard three children with swollen eyes mumbling something about Mr. Jiang leaving...

He immediately reported it to the City God.

The City God arrived in haste, bowed, and smiled:

"I only just learned that you are leaving today, sir. Let us see you off!"

Jiang She put the note away and smiled.

"The City God is too kind."

"It is a blessing for Yanzhou that you have traveled here," the City God said with a smile. "The laws you left behind are righteous and just. Not to mention ordinary ghosts, even evil demons and wicked cultivators would not dare to act recklessly in this area."

Jiang She smiled.

He said:

"Now that I am leaving, there are still a few little spirits in the courtyard, ignorant and naive, just beginning their journey into the Dao. I beg the City God to take care of them."

The City God readily agreed.

"This is natural!"

Since I am acquainted with you, it is only right that I lend a hand.

The City God not only knew about those few mischievous spirits, but also about several families who were acquainted with Mr. Jiang.

The chubby boy, with snot running down his face and wearing a Nuo mask, was pretending to be a ghost or deity while performing a Nuo ritual with his friends. He had no idea that the real ghosts and deities, the Day-Roaming God and the Night-Roaming God, were watching him from mid-air.

Jiang She thanked him.

And said:

"Besides that, I also left a sword sheath to guard the gate. That Red Blade General is unruly by nature. If he does something evil, the City God need not forgive him out of consideration for me. He should be severely punished."

The City God squinted as he recalled.

Three years ago, he visited the gentleman's courtyard and saw a somewhat arrogant and eccentric general-like figure, which gave him a clue.

"Your humble servant obeys."

He and the two judges, one civil and one military, followed the carriage and horses, seeing them off all the way out of the city.

The soldiers guarding the city inspected the place.

I glanced at it and was a little surprised.

"Young man, you've been here since the thirteenth year of the Kaiyuan era. Last time you were in Luoyang, how come you've suddenly arrived in Yanzhou?"

He looked at Jiang She with suspicion and uncertainty. If it weren't for the fact that these people's clothes looked unusual and they were riding in a carriage, the soldiers would have arrested them long ago.

Jiang She remained calm and composed.

"Look again."

The officers and soldiers patiently looked at it again, and for some reason they were momentarily distracted. When they looked again, they saw that there were detailed texts, inspection records and everything else.

Eh?
Were these things there just now?
The officers and soldiers shuddered, looked at the pass carefully again, and then returned it to the pass, waving their hands to let the men leave the city.

"This is really weird, I even saw things just now."

The carriage left the city.

Jiang She said, "I'll leave you here. Farewell, City God."

The City God, with his ethereal figure and imposing official robes, cupped his hands and said, "We will meet again another day, sir."

Jiang She returned the greeting earnestly.

"See you another day."

The City God stood with his hands behind his back, the spring breeze ruffling the robes of the ghosts and gods. He only looked away when the carriage had gone far away and the last shadow of it was out of sight.

Sighed.

The civil and military judges stood beside him. The City God's judge sighed:

"The immortals and gods roaming the world, how enviable!"

Those who are enshrined as spirits after death spend their entire lives guarding a single place. The City God gazed at the now-disappeared carriages and horses, and a longing to pursue the Great Dao inevitably arose in his heart.

However, how difficult is the path to enlightenment?

Stop it!
The City God glanced at them again, then turned and led the two away.

Jiang She had already gone far away, but the City God still addressed him with the respectful title he had in mind, no longer calling him "sir" in private.

"Let's go, it's time to make a trip to the abode of the immortals, so as not to fail in our mission."

……

In the alley.

The Crimson Blade General, who was just emerging from his sword sheath, sneezed.

He seemed somewhat excited to be rid of the Fiend Star. Jiang She hadn't taken him with him when he left, and it was unclear whether he had forgotten or what. General Chidao had also kept his sword sheathed for two days, afraid that the Fiend Star would remember him.

They finally left today!

Three children tiptoed to the door, peeking out and looking around.

General Crimson Blade suddenly appeared, looking down at the three tiny children, his voice authoritative:

"What are you doing here?"

The three children were startled. They had seen the general several times before and were not so afraid. This time they did not cry, but just looked at him timidly and curiously, which disappointed General Chidao.

The three children hesitated for a moment, and the chubby boy was pushed forward, scratching his head.

"General, I...the master has left. We came to check on things and also to sweep the yard a bit."

As he spoke, the chubby child looked up, his eyes filled with envy.

"The general is truly majestic!"

General Red Blade was taken aback.

He stroked his illusory long beard and said smugly, "Ahem, this general has always been like this..."

……

……

The carriages and horses continued to move.

Not far outside the city, Jiang She looked up and glanced around.

In the distance stands a small, well-maintained temple, but in front of it is an earthen wall. It is nothing like the bustling place it was three years ago; now only a few people, about seven or eight, are enjoying the spring scenery near the temple.

There were also a few small figures sitting in front of the earthen wall, copying something.

Yuan Danqiu was surprised.

"There are still people in front of the Stone Goddess Temple."

Li Bai squinted and looked closely, recognizing the man as a Taoist priest. He then realized, "This is Taoist Master Qiu Qi..."

The Old Deer Mountain God also looked over, observing the seeker of the Dao.

He nodded slightly: "Being able to persist in the pursuit of the Dao already puts you far ahead of others."

Li Bai asked, "Could Daoist Qiu possibly have learned this?"

The old deer mountain god thought about it carefully.

There was no deception or prevarication; we told them the truth.

"Those who cultivate themselves rarely encounter the true Dharma or a renowned teacher. Even those who are fortunate enough to obtain the true Dharma rarely manage to cultivate to the end, perhaps due to karmic ties that they cannot relinquish, insufficient aptitude, or encountering demonic trials..."

"Those who truly walk the right path all the time are one in ten thousand."

"Moreover, the immortal techniques are profound, and many people are just mortals. Even if they see them, they would find it difficult to cultivate them."

"Whether one can truly learn it, and to what extent, is hard to say."

Yuan Danqiu listened, and was deeply moved.

Old Deer Mountain God saw it.

With a slight smile, she said:

"However, it is a blessing that I have been able to embark on the path of seeking enlightenment. It is a joy to attain the Way, a gain for me, and a part of my spiritual practice."

"But who says that failing to attain the Way is not a gain, not a form of spiritual practice?"

Both Li Bai and Yuan Danqiu listened attentively, taking the instruction to heart.

The old deer mountain god looked at the two with gentle eyes. His face was extremely old, and when he smiled slightly, his hair and beard were as white as snow. He had lived through countless years and sought the Dao for eight hundred years.

The voice, however, conveyed a sense of openness and expansiveness.

She smiled, her eyes crinkling.

Even if I ultimately fail to attain enlightenment, I'll just laugh it off, and that's all!

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)