Chinese Superman

Xia Xinghan was not in a hurry. He simply looked up at the cloud-shrouded summit of Tianzhu Peak.

There, majestic mountains rise, and a magnificent golden palace stands, gleaming in the sunlight.

"Since Master Zhang has invited me here, he will naturally not prevent me from entering the mountain gate."

Sure enough, a peaceful yet aged voice, seemingly coming from an extremely high and distant place, yet perfectly clear, echoed in the ears of Xia Xinghan, Gu Zhiqi, and the young Taoist priest:

"Mingxin, let them pass. These two laymen have come at my invitation."

It was Zhang Zhenren's voice!

The young Taoist priest, his expression solemn, immediately stepped aside to make way, bowed deeply, and said respectfully, "So you are a distinguished guest, a true immortal!"

"Please, gentlemen! Forgive my rudeness earlier!"

Xia Xinghan nodded to the young Taoist priest, said "thank you for your trouble," and then went straight up the stone steps with Gu Zhiqi.

The entire process was a testament to the widespread practice of cultivation.

From the winding mountain road, to the mountain pavilions, the pine-covered rocks, and even the faintly visible architectural complexes of Zixiao Palace and Nanyan Palace in the distance...

Looking around, all you see are people sitting cross-legged, cultivating themselves.

They may not have cultivated to the point of maintaining a sense of oneness of qi or mastering breathing and guiding techniques, but they are learning by imitation and striving to embark on the path of cultivation.

You can often see Taoist priests of all ages weaving through the crowd, offering guidance and advice.

Contrary to expectations of overcrowding, congestion, and even chaos, it instead resembled a sacred cultivation ground.

The mountains and rocks are exquisite, the vegetation is lush, the clouds are billowing and the scenery is ever-changing. Spiritual animals dart through the forests, and occasionally they are seen pausing, seemingly listening to the Taoist priests preach.

"Such a rich spiritual energy!"

Gu Zhi Qiu couldn't help but take a deep breath, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Cultivating here, even without the aid of spirit stones, greatly reduces the difficulty of sensing qi and drawing it into the body, making cultivation twice as effective!"

Xia Xinghan nodded, looked around, and his face showed an expression of expectation: "After all, it is a Taoist holy land with a thousand-year-old heritage and profound cultural foundation."

"When spiritual energy is revived, famous mountains, rivers, ancient sites, and Taoist temples often become nodes where spiritual energy gathers."

"only……"

Xia Xinghan frowned slightly.

"Having been cultivated by so many people every day, its spiritual energy is inevitably inferior to that of other revived ruins."

Even the remnants of spiritual revival are not omnipotent; they have their limits and cannot withstand anything beyond their capacity.

If this continues, problems will inevitably arise at Wudang Holy Land sooner or later.

How many people are there in the world?

How can a sacred place possibly "support" the cultivation of hundreds of millions of people?

The two walked briskly.

Gu Zhi Qiu did not use the Lingyan Ferry technique, which she had mastered to perfection. Instead, she seized every opportunity to cultivate the Cloud Dragon Soaring to the Sky Technique. Dressed in cloud gauze, she was as light as a feather and flew up the stone steps.

Xia Xinghan didn't fly... or rather, he climbed the mountain with his feet off the ground, his hands behind his back, like a hermit master.

At first glance, an outsider might mistake him for an old monster who has reversed the aging process.

"Senior sister."

"Master, please speak."

"I'll take a nickname from now on, 'Fire Dragon Child,' what do you think? I'll claim that I'm still young and look like a child because I accidentally ate a Fire Dragon Spirit Fruit when I was young."

"..."

"Master, please still call him Demon Child Reborn."

「!?」

"Unfilial disciple."

"Yes, Master."

They quickly passed through the crowded middle section, and the crowd thinned out as they went up.

Upon reaching the area near the summit of Tianzhu Peak, the place became serene and quiet, a world apart from the hustle and bustle below.

Only with the mountain breeze, the sound of pines, the chirping of birds, and the murmur of springs can the spiritual energy become even more refined and abundant.

Finally, they reached the summit of Tianzhu Peak and arrived before the world-famous Taihe Palace.

In stark contrast to the bustling crowds at the foot and halfway up the mountain, the Golden Temple Square was deserted and desolate at this moment. Apart from an old Taoist priest with his back to them, who was slowly sweeping fallen leaves with a long-handled broom, there was no one else there.

The old Taoist priest was thin and wore an ordinary gray Taoist robe that had been washed until it turned white. His back view was unremarkable, yet he seemed to blend into the entire mountain and the world around him, exuding a sense of tranquility and unfathomable depth.

"What a profound level of mental cultivation!"

Gu Zhi Qiu was startled.

A state of mind free from worldly dust is merely the minimum standard for entering the innate realm; the ultimate goal is to achieve harmony between humanity and nature.

The old Taoist priest before me seemed to be in harmony with the heavens and man, without anything or anyone else!

As if sensing the arrival of the two, the old Taoist stopped what he was doing and slowly turned around.

He was white-haired but had a youthful face, a kind countenance, and gentle, deep eyes. His hair and beard were all white and meticulously combed. He was none other than the world-renowned Taoist Ancestor, Master Zhang.

Upon seeing Xia Xinghan, Master Zhang smiled gently, placed the broom lightly against the bronze crane in front of the hall, and then bowed solemnly to Xia Xinghan.

"May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings. Young friend, how have you been?"

Master Zhang's voice was calm, yet it touched people's hearts.

Xia Xinghan didn't presume, bowing in return with a smile on his adorable face: "Master Zhang, you're too kind."

"Wudang Mountain has been quite a lively place on this journey!"

He pointed down the mountain.

Master Zhang straightened up, stroked his long beard, and laughed, "Wudang Mountain does not belong to me alone, but to all people under heaven, to all living beings. A lively and vibrant place is a good thing."

"But this 'liveliness' has also brought a lot of troubles."

His words seemed to carry a deeper meaning.

Xia Xinghan nodded and followed up, asking, "With the world's spiritual energy recovering, many famous mountains, rivers, and historical sites must have become gathering places for spiritual energy. Are other famous mountains... just as bustling now?"

Upon hearing this, Master Zhang gently shook his head.

He gazed at the distant mountains beyond the sea of ​​clouds, his tone calm yet carrying a barely perceptible sigh: "As far as I know, that is not the case."

"Many scenic and spiritual places, such as Mount Hua, Mount Wutai, Mount Heng, and Mount Tianzhu, have been controlled by some powerful families or original sects, who have sealed off the mountains openly or secretly, making it impossible for ordinary people to enter."

Even places like Shaoshi Mountain, which are not completely closed off, are still controlled by the Hanging Temple, which strictly limits the number of visitors. To enter and feel the spiritual energy or seek opportunities, one must pay an astonishing amount of "incense money" or meet certain conditions.

"Shaoshi Mountain, Hanging Temple, indeed Buddha saves those with affinity."

Xia Xinghan listened without much surprise on his face, and simply nodded calmly: "It's to be expected. Concentrated resources and monopolistic practices have always been the case."

"The fact that the Master can keep Wudang open and leave a bowl of water for the world is already a great merit."

"Unfortunately, how many people can be saved by a mere bowl of water?"

Master Zhang sighed, even his selfless state of mind was stirred by the emotion, which was filled with pity and helplessness.

Gu Zhi Qiu listened silently from the side, but her heart was filled with turmoil.

For a long time, she had only focused on completing tasks and exchanging spirit stones for cultivation. Although she had the title "Golden Jade Sword Wielder," the weapon wielders called her "Crazy Woman." She knew that the revival of spiritual energy in the outside world had caused changes, but she never expected that the situation had evolved to this point.

Aristocratic families monopolize spiritual lands, leaving ordinary people with no way to cultivate...

This will likely exacerbate future inequalities and conflicts.

Xia Xinghan remained calm and spoke in a composed manner: "True Person, there is no need to worry. The second stage of spiritual energy recovery can resolve this situation."

"At that time, the spiritual energy of the world will be abundant, and people will be able to achieve Qi sensing without leaving their homes, thus embarking on the path of cultivation."

"I hope so."

Master Zhang calmed his mind, refocused his gaze on Xia Xinghan, smiled gently, and flicked his whisk, the snow-white tail of which drew a mysterious arc.

"Let's not talk about worldly affairs anymore."

"I invited you here not for these trivial matters, but because... there is something that has been troubling me for a long time, and I wish to ask the Martial Ancestor for guidance."