Starting with the creation of the Immortal Clan through the compilation of the family genealogy.

Chapter 38 The Strange Taoist Priest of the Lost Valley

Slurp!

A gray shadow nimbly glided out from the crevice of the rock like a swimming fish! It landed silently, as light as a feather.

The newcomer was a gaunt old Taoist priest, his face like dried orange peel, etched with the wrinkles of time.

He wore a faded, patched-up old Taoist robe, his hair was haphazardly tied up with a crooked wooden hairpin, and most of his face was covered in mud, ash, and bits of grass, making him look destitute and down on his luck.

Only his small eyes, gleaming with a sharp inner light, darted about, revealing a shrewdness and cunning hidden beneath the grime, and a hint of barely concealed fear deep within.

He carried a worn-out medicine basket, inside which were a few poor-quality, weak "heart-clearing herbs" casually stuck.

He muttered to himself, but his eyes quickly swept over the four of them. “What kind of stones are you carrying? They look like the stones I use to wash clothes by the stream. If you take them, how am I supposed to do my laundry? Sigh, but since you accidentally helped me out of this predicament, I’m kind-hearted, so you can take these stones. Let’s make a good connection.”

He rambled on and on, all about petty calculations and schemes.

But when his gaze swept over the lingering aura of righteousness emanating from Meng Xihong, his pupils suddenly contracted and his eyes narrowed slightly.

His expression was complex and indescribable, like someone who had been thirsting for a spring but found it had dried up. In an instant, it turned into a deep-seated regret and sorrow, which eventually turned into an almost inaudible sigh and was quickly drowned out by the complaints of a mercenary person.

Meng Xihong felt a chorus of alarm bells ringing in his mind. The timing of this person's appearance and his ghostly, ethereal movements were no coincidence, nor could they be the work of an ordinary herb gatherer. Recalling the divination he had received a few months ago, "Be cautious when encountering a noble person," it was like a bucket of ice water being poured over his head, instantly clearing his mind and raising his vigilance to the extreme.

"Is the Taoist priest gathering herbs here? May I ask where your temple is located and what your name is?" Meng Xihong's face remained calm, and his voice was indifferent, as if it were just a casual greeting.

But those sharp eyes had already locked onto the opponent's aura as if it were a tangible thing. At the same time, they were forcibly supporting their nearly exhausted bodies, squeezing out the last bit of potential, and releasing an invisible spiritual pressure that, though not powerful, was condensed and pure. This pressure was faintly connected to the righteous energy seed in their sea of ​​consciousness, which had become even more withered and dim due to the fierce battle just now, and it was ready to be unleashed.

The old Taoist priest felt uncomfortable under Meng Xihong's gaze. He shrank back, gave a dry laugh, and rubbed his withered hands, which were covered in dirt under his fingernails.

"Hehe, I'm just a rogue cultivator, my Taoist name is 'Yun Songzi'. I'm just... just a poor guy in this desolate, godforsaken place, struggling to make ends meet. Hehe, I don't have any celestial temples or grand palaces. I just live by my lot, sometimes building a temporary shack or finding a cave to stay in."

"Gathering herbs? Absolutely! Although this place is eerie and extremely dangerous, you can occasionally stumble upon a few half-dead, unwanted 'Heart-Clearing Grass' plants. At least you can take them to the market down the mountain to exchange for a few copper coins and buy some coarse rice and other grains to survive... Sigh, cultivation is so difficult!"

"I see that the three strong men and this young man have extraordinary bearing. Are they... here to search for treasure?" He spoke rapidly, complaining and trying to distance himself from the situation, but his small eyes darted around, gleaming, constantly assessing Meng Xihong's strength, condition, and true intentions.

He subtly took a half-step back, his center of gravity slightly lowered, and he resembled a quietly taut bow. His sleeves fluttered slightly, clearly indicating that he was ready to launch himself into flight or even prepare for a surprise attack.

Meng Xihong's inward sneer deepened. This old Taoist priest appeared panicked and spoke in a trivial and mercenary manner, but in reality, he was shrewd and slippery as an old mudfish. Every word he uttered was a test, an attempt to distance himself, and a diversion of attention. He was far more complex than he appeared.

"The Lost Valley is infamous, yet you, Daoist, are both skilled and daring, treading on it as if it were flat ground." His tone held a hint of playful inquiry. "We were merely curious about some ancient ruins in the mountains and had no intention of disturbing the tranquility of this place. The eerie mist and the remaining formations beneath our feet were quite powerful. Daoist, you have been 'gathering herbs' here for many years and are quite knowledgeable. Do you know their origins or backgrounds? We would be grateful if you could enlighten us."

"Origin? I am just a rough man, with mortal eyes and no flesh and blood. How would I know about these mystical and high-level things? This 'Mysterious Ravine' is extremely evil. It is a demonic cave that eats people without spitting out the bones."

"Inside there are only some broken stones and rotten wood that have been exposed to the wind and sun for countless years. There is nothing of value left. In the early years, countless fools who did not believe in the evil spirits and insisted on breaking in have been trapped and died. The resentment is overwhelming and it is very unlucky!"
"Take this advice, you four should head back immediately! This fog is extremely malevolent; inhaling too much will damage your meridians, cloud your mind, and even disorient your soul. Then you won't be able to leave!"

He spoke rapidly, like a machine gun, emphasizing the danger of the place, but his eyes kept glancing uncontrollably and subtly at the inconspicuous crack in the mountain wall behind him. "Oh? Broken rocks and rotten wood?" Meng Xihong went along with it, his gaze shooting like lightning to the blurry "Haoyuan" inscription on the mountain wall.

"You have lingered here for a long time, so you must be very familiar with every plant and tree here. You must have seen what the inscriptions on the wall looked like before they were eroded by wind and rain, right? These remnants seem to be related to some kind of 'academy'? You have been cultivating for many years, have you ever heard of any ancient academy with a complete name in these mountains?"

"Academy?"

Yun Songzi's eyes flickered suddenly, he chuckled, and his voice suddenly rose: "Hey! It's been battered by wind and rain, it's long since turned into a mess, it's just a dilapidated wild fox Zen temple, who knew it used to be called A Mao A Gou."

"My lords, I just consulted the oracle, and I urge you to heed my advice! The fog is rising again! Disembarkation is the best course of action!" Before he finished speaking, he suddenly lowered himself, like boneless mud, and with a "whoosh," he vanished into a narrow crevice beside him, leaving only a faint gray afterimage. Only a lingering echo remained in the fog.
Listen to advice, eat your fill. Go quickly, don't look back!

Looking at the crevice where Yun Songzi had vanished without a trace, Meng Xihong's eyes were as deep and cold as a still pool. Ji Beichuan and Zhang Xianghua exchanged a glance, both seeing deep surprise and wariness in each other's eyes.

“Master, this old Taoist priest…” Zhang Xianghua frowned and said in a low voice.

“He’s shrouded in mystery; he’s definitely not someone to be trifled with.” Meng Xihong withdrew his gaze.

"You even did a divination? Is it as accurate as my 'Daily Divination'?" Meng Xihong thought to himself.

However, now the divination has been fulfilled. "Meeting a benefactor?" or "Encountering danger?" It's still uncertain. The fortune of this place is hard to predict, so we can't stay any longer. Let's retreat! Remember the location where he fled.

Filled with doubt and extremely vigilant, the four followed the path they had come from and quickly retreated from the treacherous and unpredictable Maze.

At this moment, deep within the Misty Ravine, a hidden paradise lies beyond a narrow crevice in the rocks.

Yun Songzi slowly emerged from the shadows, his previous shrewd and calculating demeanor completely gone, leaving only an indelible sense of loneliness.

He silently took out three pigeon-egg-sized, shimmering Yin energy cores and embedded them one by one into the damaged array eye in front of him. Then, he drew a line in the air with his fingers, and a complex and profound Qi talisman instantly condensed and disappeared into the array core.

The remaining array hummed softly, its light gradually brightened, and it began to operate again.

He raised his head, gazing in the direction the four had gone, his dirty face displaying a complex and indescribable expression. After a long while, he sighed softly:
"Such pure and noble energy... Though faint as a spark, its foundation is upright and bright, and it has been cultivated properly. Only those who have studied diligently for decades, possess a sincere heart, and have extraordinary talent can condense it..."

"What a pity, what a pity, I'm too old now, my physique is set, and I can no longer cultivate the core inheritance of my Haoran Academy..." He muttered to himself, his voice low and hoarse, completely different from before.

"In today's corrupt world, everyone seeks shortcuts to quickly achieve the Golden Elixir and attain immortality. Those who are willing to immerse themselves in reading, cultivating their inner energy, and enlightening their minds are now one in ten thousand. To be able to cultivate such pure and righteous energy, and to have such keen intuition to see through the illusions of my array at a glance... I'm afraid you have already entered the realm of enlightenment."

Alas, it is fate, is it that Heaven intends to extinguish my Haoran lineage? This last spark of inheritance, I fear, will truly be extinguished in the hands of this old Daoist…

A long sigh dissipated into the thick fog, leaving behind only desolation and loneliness.

　I'll reach 10 words tonight, brothers and sisters! Check out the reader community! A red envelope giveaway will be held at 9 PM tonight. Thank you all for your support and reading! See you there!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)