A master of comedy!

Chapter 176 The Chosen One

In a secluded paradise, an old man sleeps soundly.

Zhou Sheng stood quietly to the side, not making a sound to disturb him, waiting for the other person to wake up on their own while secretly observing the other person's sleeping posture.

His right arm was bent at the elbow and pressed against the Fengfu acupoint, with his palm facing the sky and supporting it lightly. His left arm hung down beside the stone, and his five fingers formed the Zi-Wu Mudra, which looked like a lotus flower.

The spine is shaped like the winding Yellow River, resembling a coiled dragon lying in slumber.

Zhang Sanfeng was known as the Sleeping Immortal. Legend has it that he inherited and promoted the Hidden Dragon Method of Master Chen Tuan. He often had long dreams that lasted for several years. When he woke up, he was full of energy and his Taoist skills had greatly improved.

He fell asleep and became an immortal.

Zhou Sheng had long heard of the wonders of the sleeping technique, and now that he had seen it, he naturally wanted to take a good look. However, the more he focused his attention, the less he could discern any secrets.

Even the magical power in his dantian trembled slightly, causing a feeling of unease, as if he had gone into a state of demonic possession.

Zhou Sheng quickly closed his eyes, realizing that he had overestimated himself. With his limited cultivation, he thought he could comprehend Zhang Sanfeng's Hidden Dragon Skill, which was wishful thinking.

After letting go of his delusions, he became calm and stopped observing the other person's appearance, instead listening quietly to their snoring.

At first, the snoring was quite chaotic, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, sometimes urgent and sometimes gentle, but gradually, Zhou Sheng could hear a strange rhythm in it.

He suddenly realized that the core of sleeping exercises was not posture, but breathing.

The Great Dao is hidden in every breath; the more you observe its form, the more you forget its meaning, and you can only "see" it by closing your eyes.

But new challenges followed.

Although Zhou Sheng had grasped a sliver of the mystery, he also began to feel intensely sleepy, as if he might fall into a deep sleep at any moment.

But he had a premonition that if he really fell asleep, it would mean that he had just opened a corner of the door to the art of sleeping, and then closed it again.

The art of sleeping requires a state of being neither fully asleep nor fully awake; one must remain slightly conscious, otherwise it will simply become ordinary sleep.

He tried hard to stay awake, but after an unknown amount of time, he finally gave in and fell into a deep sleep under a pine tree.

……

When he woke up again, it was already late at night.

Time passes slowly in the mountains; perhaps only a few hours have gone by, or perhaps several days have already passed.

Zhou Sheng felt refreshed and all his fatigue disappeared. The hangover headache caused by drinking too much monkey wine also vanished.

Although I didn't grasp the Hidden Dragon Technique, it was truly a wonderful and refreshing sleep.

He stretched, his bones cracking and popping, and an indescribable feeling of comfort spread throughout his body.

The spine, in particular, stretches out like a great dragon, making the back appear exceptionally upright.

A night breeze blew by, and the wooden signs rustled, immediately catching Zhou Sheng's attention.

On the ancient rock beneath the pine tree, the disheveled Taoist priest was still asleep, though his snoring was growing fainter. Eight plaques, seemingly inscribed with words, hung from the pine branches above his head.

Zhou Sheng had noticed these signs during the day, but there were no words on them at the time. Now, under the moonlight, small, shimmering characters were revealed.

“Jade Thunder, Mysterious Yin, Mysterious Yang, Taiyi, Azure Nether, Heavenly Thunder, Yin Fire, Bifeng.”

There are eight wooden plaques in total, and each plaque has a name written on it.

Zhou Sheng's gaze fell on the three plaques: Heavenly Thunder, Yin Fire, and Bifeng, and his heart was suddenly jolted.

Could these eight wooden plaques refer to the names of the previous eight heavenly tribulations?

And Zhang Sanfeng hung eight wooden plaques on the pine branches, doesn't that mean... he has successfully survived eight heavenly tribulations?
Zhou Sheng gasped in shock.

The disheveled old man sleeping soundly on the rock in front of him was very likely the most powerful being he had ever seen since he transmigrated.

A perfected Earth Immortal is just one step away from becoming a Celestial Immortal. If such a being were to enter the Underworld and wander through the Yellow Springs, even Yama, the King of Hell, would likely treat him with utmost respect and dare not show the slightest disrespect.

As for the Yinshan Ghost King and Judge Lu, who seem invincible and unpredictable, they would probably be trembling with fear and unease in front of this Sleeping Immortal.

This is a true big shot!

"Sleeping Immortal, Sleeping Immortal, lying high on the rock, forgetting his years, the three lights sink into oblivion, his nature is naturally perfect."

Just as Zhou Sheng was still shocked by the slovenly Taoist's cultivation level, the other party's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he slowly sat up from the stone, softly reciting a line from "The Hidden Dragon's Chant".

He opened his eyes, his gaze clear as the stars, without a trace of cloudiness, even revealing a childlike innocence.

Upon waking, a natural fragrance naturally emanates from the body, making one feel as if surrounded by clouds and mist, like entering a room filled with orchids.

That same delicate fragrance also exists in the mysterious celestial maiden, though not as pronounced.

"Junior Zhou Sheng greets Senior!"

Zhou Sheng immediately bowed and greeted him with great respect.

Zhang Sanfeng smiled and nodded slightly, saying, "Young man, you weren't so humble when you destroyed the statue of Lu Zu. Could it be that you thought Lu Zu was just a stone statue and wouldn't fight back, while this old Daoist knows a little about boxing?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Sheng's scalp tightened, and he almost broke out in a sweat. He could only manage an awkward smile, looking somewhat embarrassed.

“This junior knows he was wrong and begs for forgiveness from Master Zhang. I will definitely rebuild the golden body of Lu Zu in the future to make up for today’s mistake.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sanfeng shook his head and smiled, saying, "Master Lü doesn't care about any golden body, but you were able to restrain your greed and correct your mistakes, so your character is not bad."

"It's a pity that your aptitude is still a bit lacking, and you haven't been able to comprehend the old master's Hidden Dragon Sleeping Immortal Technique. Are you content with that?"

Zhou Sheng felt a chill run down his spine. It was true that Master Zhang had intentionally tested him, but unfortunately, he had failed the test.

"Not reconciled."

Before this living immortal who had survived eight heavenly tribulations, Zhou Sheng made no attempt to hide anything and frankly expressed his thoughts.

"Master, could you please give me another chance?"

Zhang Sanfeng laughed heartily, his pure and innocent eyes seeming to see right through Zhou Sheng's soul, causing Ya Zi to let out an uneasy growl.

"You are quite interesting. As a master of yin magic, you actually managed to make Yazi, who should have belonged to Xiao Huchen, recognize you as his master, and even solved the Lushan Chess game in place of the stone monkey, becoming the first to enter the Immortal Cave."

He paused, a half-smile playing on his lips, and said, “I never imagined that after ten years of this humble Taoist’s dream, a remarkable person would appear in the world.”

Zhou Sheng was shocked. So the Immortal Chess of Mount Lu was prepared for Little Sage?
So it seems that Xiao Sheng wanted to casually place a piece earlier, but he held back because of his own actions.

Recalling Zhang Sanfeng telling Xiaosheng the story of "Journey to the West" and playing chess with the black-robed monk to guard the sword embryo, Zhou Sheng already understood.

So Little Saint is the chosen one!

"The sword left behind by Lu Zu is of paramount importance. The choice of its master concerns the fate of all living beings. However, the will of Heaven has already been determined. The master of the sword is destined to be that stone monkey. Although you solved the game of celestial chess first, you are not the one destined for it..."

Zhou Sheng sighed inwardly. Indeed, some opportunities cannot be forced.

He nodded and said, "I understand, I will take my leave now—"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Sanfeng's laughter rang out again, seemingly concealing a sharp edge amidst his nonchalant demeanor, and even revealing a hint of indescribable arrogance.

"The will of Heaven may lie with whom, but it is not necessarily determined by Heaven."

"I think you might be more suitable than that monkey."

……

(End of this chapter)