Martial Arts Crossover: The Sweeping Monk of Wudang? That's our patriarch!

"Good lad, congratulations on breaking through this barrier. All my life's wisdom has been condensed into a spiritual scroll, which I will impart to you today. How much you can comprehend depends entirely on your own destiny."

Before he finished speaking, he flicked his finger, and a scroll of shimmering white silk suddenly appeared, spinning into the man's brow as if it were alive. In an instant, a burst of white light exploded, then quietly dissipated.

A vast amount of information surged into the man's mind, like a tidal wave, like a raging fire, like a surging sea of ​​stars. He couldn't yet discern the underlying structure, but he clearly felt that it was the framework of the Great Dao, the ladder he would have to climb for the next hundred years.

"Thank you so much, senior!" He knelt down, bowed deeply, his forehead touching the ground, his voice choked with emotion yet each word clear, "In this life, I am willing to serve you, senior, by leading your horse and whipping your whip, through fire and water, without hesitation!"

After finishing his ceremony, he rose and turned to descend the mountain. This time, his back was straight, his steps were brisk, and he never looked back.

Standing on the edge of the sea of ​​clouds, gazing at the endless snow-capped mountains, Lin Daochen suddenly felt a sense of relief. Perhaps, settling down here deep in the Kunlun Mountains wouldn't be bad.

He soared into the air, skimming over thousands of peaks and valleys, looking down at the vast expanse, and finally his gaze settled on a corner in the southeast—where the forest was deep and the moss thick, and the mist lingered.

Kunlun was too vast, and even he had long since lost his way. At this moment, he relied solely on his intuition, following the guiding energy, and stepped deeper into the dense forest.

Time flowed silently until, in the swaying shadows of the trees ahead, a dark cave entrance quietly appeared.

The cave was filled with a misty, ethereal atmosphere, so thick it was almost dripping dew.

Lin Daochen was slightly taken aback, then slowly stepped forward and carefully examined the cave. There was indeed a hidden aura lingering within, unfathomable in its depths. Although he did not know its name, just by its aura, he knew it was no ordinary being.

He stood silently at the cave entrance for a moment.

A warm laugh came from inside the cave: "Young friend, since you've arrived, why not come in and have a cup of tea? We've gathered here because of fate, why bother with formalities?"

Lin Daochen nodded and stepped inside. The deeper they went, the softer the light became, until at the end—an elderly woman with snow-white hair sat upright on a futon, holding a teapot in her delicate hands, steaming hot tea.

He seemed to have been waiting for him for a long time. When Lin Daochen appeared, he slightly flicked his sleeves, and a celadon teacup floated up out of thin air and landed steadily in front of him.

Lin Daochen didn't stand on ceremony, sitting cross-legged and picking up his teacup. The old man's gaze was gentle, as if he had long been familiar with Lin Daochen's life, and he began to speak:

"Young friend, I knew you would come here. But before I grant you this opportunity, allow me to ask you one question: If you saw your nemesis on the verge of death, would you offer him medicine or a knife?"

Without hesitation, Lin Daochen blurted out.

"Since he is an enemy, we should naturally eliminate him completely. Do you expect me to surrender and wait for him to take my life?" The old man laughed loudly, as if Lin Daochen's answer was exactly what he had expected. In fact, he had already figured out the young man's temperament, decisiveness, and even his breathing rhythm.

……

So all these events unfolded slowly before his very eyes, without causing the slightest ripple.

"But senior, why are you sitting here alone waiting for me? I previously brought someone into Kunlun Mountain for training, intending to entrust him with all my life's knowledge once he had achieved success."

"Now that person has successfully left the mountain and gone far away. I originally thought that Kunlun Mountain was empty and unclaimed, but after setting foot here, I realized that the mountain has its spirit and the land has its master—you must be the true master of Kunlun Mountain."

The old man nodded silently, his expression open and honest, undoubtedly the master of this place. However, at the moment, he had no intention of discussing his identity or origins.

"Let's not talk about that now. Sit down and have some hot tea. Let's talk about the challenges and obstacles you've overcome along the way, and see what you've learned from them."

Lin Daochen was shocked—this old man knew every detail of his experiences.

Could it be that he was being secretly followed the whole way? Or perhaps he was not an ordinary person at all, but an old immortal who understood cause and effect and looked down upon all things?

Although Lin Daochen had reached the pinnacle of the Golden Core realm, he understood better than anyone else that there are peaks beyond mountains and heavens beyond heavens; even immortals have shadows above them in the clouds looking down.

The person before me is clearly unfathomable. Since my true nature has already been seen through, beating around the bush would only make me look foolish.

"Senior, you are very knowledgeable and experienced, which I greatly admire. Since you seem to know so much about me, I won't beat around the bush—may I ask, who exactly are you?"

After he finished speaking, the old man fell silent for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly.

It wasn't that he was unwilling to answer, but rather that he didn't know where to begin. At that moment, Lin Daochen stood before him, his purpose obvious.

"I have a general idea of ​​why you've come. But if you want to truly step into the gates of Kunlun Mountain, you must first pass my test. If you can't... I'm sorry, you'll have to turn around and leave the mountain."

The old man's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight. Lin Daochen's fingers paused slightly, a hint of hesitation rising in his heart.

A test? What test? He originally came only to test the man's potential, but who knew that this trial would quietly turn its attention to him.

He looked at the old man, his Adam's apple bobbed, but he swallowed his words back.

At the summit of Kunlun Mountain, a sea of ​​clouds surged, pines and cypresses were as black as ink, and snow-capped peaks were as silver as silver—the scenery was breathtakingly magnificent. However, the cold was biting; after standing there for a while, frost would form on one's clothes, fingertips would become stiff, and it felt as if one's blood was about to freeze.

Lin Daochen rubbed his hands together, exhaling a puff of white mist. The old man, however, could no longer contain himself. He slowly stepped forward, his smile warm and gentle: "Actually, I've waited far too long for this day. I've guarded this mountain for over a thousand years, cultivating the Dao and seeking truth. I understand the joys and sorrows of it all better than anyone. I heard you've just broken through the shackles of the Golden Core stage and are about to knock on the door of the Integration stage?"

"The hardest part of that path has never been breathing exercises or cultivating one's energy and mind—it's understanding the meaning of 'union'—what exactly is being united and why it is being united."

Lin Daochen lowered his eyes and nodded. He knew all too well that cultivation was not about piling up bricks and stones to build up one's realm, but rather about repeatedly peeling away layers of cocoon between the heart and body, the soul and spirit, and oneself and the world. The slightest deviation would lead to the complete collapse.

He bowed deeply, his posture humble: "Please enlighten me, senior. I am foolish and ignorant, and I hope you will not hesitate to teach me."

A hint of approval flashed in the old man's eyes, and he was about to speak when suddenly a streak of light pierced through the clouds, and a figure with an air of otherworldly grace descended from the sky. He stood on a golden gourd that shone brightly, and his robes fluttered like crane wings, clearly indicating that he was a renowned and powerful figure.

The man landed and burst into laughter: "Master Kunlun! Master Kunlun! It's rare to see you personally instructing a junior like me. Coincidentally, I have an important matter to entrust to you today—could you please set aside this young friend's matter for the moment and allow me to say a few words?"

Kunlun the Immortal was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, raising his gaze slightly with a hint of confusion in his expression. He didn't know what the visitor's intentions were, but since they had asked for a favor, it was certainly no small matter.

"Why stand on ceremony when old friends meet? Just speak frankly—even if it's beyond my power, I will do my best to lend you a hand." The white-haired old man nodded and smiled, his sleeves fluttering slightly as he slowly revealed the profound meaning of his trip.

"We have lived together in the Kunlun Mountains for over a thousand years. A hidden ancient demon has been lurking deep within the earth's veins for a long time. It has been suppressed for a thousand years by the Ninefold Profound Iron Lock and the Seven Luminaries Seal. But recently, the earth's energy has been surging, the chains are humming, and the cracks in the seal are faintly revealing a ghostly light."

"If Kunlun is thrown into chaos, mountains will crumble and clouds will collapse, and neither immortals nor mortals will be able to remain unscathed. I have come to your door today to invite you to join forces and together avert this calamity."

Lin Daochen was shocked—did Kunlun Mountain actually harbor demons? He had heard in his early years that immortals were often seen here, and that blessed lands and grottoes were everywhere. Countless seekers of the Dao came here with their books, and secluded themselves to cultivate and comprehend the truth amidst the snow and pine breezes.

To mortals, Kunlun is a mysterious realm shrouded in mist, often rife with strange phenomena like thunder and fire, shifting star orbits, and ancient trees whispering in the night… But upon closer examination, the root causes are nothing more than battles between masters, patrols by spirit beasts, and the tempering of magical treasures. Precisely because of the gathering of cultivators and the abundance of righteous energy, evil spirits have found no foothold for thousands of years. Who would have thought that today they would hear the words "ancient demon" with their own ears?

He shook his head subconsciously, his brows furrowing slightly.

"According to what you two seniors have said, could it be that Kunlun is about to face a great calamity? But you two, one in charge of the Kunlun Sword Tomb and the other wielding the Jade Void Talisman, can summon the Milky Way with a flick of your wrist and suppress mountains with a snap of your fingers—why should we be so alarmed by a mere ancient demon?"

Before he finished speaking, the old immortal Kunlun's eyes suddenly lit up, and he laughed loudly, reaching out to gently press Lin Daochen's shoulder: "Young friend, young friend, do you know that in this world, it is not only cultivators like us and the gods in the heavens who hold power? Among those demons who dwell in desolate graves, breathe out yin energy, and steal heavenly secrets, there are also ruthless characters who can shatter the void and tear apart the laws."

"Otherwise, how dare they build nests and temples in the human world, transform themselves to bewitch the world, even compete with the Thunder Department for rain and demand souls from the underworld? — It is only because among them there are indeed giants who are capable of wrestling with the gods."

Lin Daochen suddenly understood: So that's how it is. No wonder the two elders looked so solemn; this matter probably involves the entire Western Spiritual Vein.

"Since you two seniors have important matters to attend to, let's postpone our previous agreement for now—I will visit you again to seek your advice after this matter is settled."

The words had barely left his mouth when Kunlun the Immortal raised a slight smile, his eyes calm and deep, clearly indicating that he had no intention of letting them pass.

"Young friend, have you considered that this is precisely your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for tempering? If you are entrusted with the lead in this battle, under the pressure of life and death, your mind, techniques, and spiritual sense will all be shaken together, and the Golden Core will break through and the Nascent Soul will begin to emerge, perhaps even today."

Lin Daochen's fingertips trembled slightly. His heart was truly moved, but was there ever a smooth path in cultivation? The shortcuts were the most dangerous.

Seeing him hesitate with his eyes lowered, the white-robed elder beside him suddenly stepped forward, his voice low but firm: "If you still hesitate, young friend, I am willing to offer you something as a token—this scroll, 'The Essentials of Dao Integration,' contains illustrations and annotations for all 360 key points, 72 reversals, and 12 episodes of inner demon illusions, from the formation of the Golden Core to the tribulation of the Body Integration stage. Obtaining it is better than ten years of sitting in meditation."

The other person immediately chimed in, his tone so familiar that it seemed he had seen right through him: "Your combat prowess is now unparalleled, with few rivals among those in the Golden Core realm. Even a rogue cultivator in the mid-Nascent Soul stage has fallen to your sword—but you know in your heart that this isn't due to your high realm, but rather your solid foundation, ruthless killing moves, and boundless courage."

"Cultivation is like water, and realm is like a channel. No matter how full the water is, if the channel is blocked, it will eventually overflow and cause disaster, and will not be able to flow to the sea."

"But once you break through the barrier, the channel becomes a wide river, and even a drop of water can stir up a raging wave, and a wisp of air can split a mountain."

Lin Daochen's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he remained silent for a long time. Their words were piercing, every sentence true. But could a breakthrough simply be achieved by unrolling a scroll and reciting incantations?

"Senior, please stop beating around the bush—just tell me directly, how do I break through this realm? Tell me everything: the steps, the timing, the taboos, the backup plan. As for that scroll… keep it for yourself to study. I don't trust 'the Great Dao' that falls from the sky."

The more Lin Daochen listened, the more he felt that the old man was being incredibly long-winded. Although the other party was a senior and highly respected figure, and he couldn't be disrespectful, he had never encountered such a chattering personality in all his years of life.

Before he could finish speaking, the old man's eyebrows shot up, and he immediately became displeased. With a flick of his sleeve, he declared in a resounding voice, "I, a dignified immortal of Kunlun, have resided on this mountain for over three thousand years. How can you dismiss me with just a few words? Little brat, without some real skill, don't even think about taking this scroll from me—how about this, I'll set a test for you. If you pass it, the scroll is yours; if you fail, you'd better get off the mountain now!"

Seeing that the Kunlun Immortal was unmoved by reason and determined to test him, Lin Daochen was too lazy to waste any more words. Since he insisted on testing him, then so be it.

He has the confidence to face whatever comes his way.

The immortal stroked his beard and chuckled, then slowly opened his mouth:

"The first test is on that mortal you enlightened the other day. If he single-handedly enters Kunlun Mountain, passes through my 'Phantom Realm,' and comes out unscathed, I will offer this scroll to him with both hands."

"That's not all—if you also pass the second test, I will take you as my personal disciple and impart all my insights, cultivation, and experiences to you. The bottleneck of the Integration Stage? You can break it with a gentle push; your realm is stable? It will only take a few months. If your foundation is solid and your opportunities are abundant, breaking through the Integration Stage and reaching a higher realm may not be just empty talk."

Lin Daochen's eyes lit up, as if sparks were dancing in them.