The Northern Song Dynasty returned south, seeking the truth of the Dao.

"A celestial abode?"

Upon hearing the words spoken by Ao Shuang, Wang Zhenhuan immediately sat up straight. Although he tried his best to remain calm, his slightly forward-leaning posture betrayed him.

"That's right, it's an immortal's cave! I don't know which ascended power left it behind. The only thing I'm sure of is that this cave must have been left by an ascended immortal!" Ao Shuang raised her teacup, took a sip, and replied.

Wang Zhenhuan pondered for a moment before asking, "May I ask, River God, what makes you so certain that the cave dwelling was left behind by an immortal?"

"I have my own methods to identify it, but I cannot go into the details with you, Daoist. I wonder if you are interested in that immortal's cave?" Ao Shuang asked with a smile.

"Is that cave located underwater?" Wang Zhenhuan suddenly looked up and asked.

"Daoist Master is indeed wise, that's right. That immortal's cave is located below the Huai River! I wonder if you have heard that the upper reaches of the Huai River flooded a few days ago?" Ao Shuang asked.

"I've heard a little about it. I heard that the flood was quelled by the River God. It was thanks to the River God's intervention that the floodwaters were able to reach the shore. I don't know how many more people would have died." Wang Zhenhuan cupped his hands in greeting to him.

Upon hearing this, Ao Shuang smiled and waved her hand, saying nonchalantly, "I was managing the flood because the flood almost destroyed my house. Unexpectedly, this misfortune turned into a blessing, as the flood washed away the silt from the riverbed, revealing the immortal's cave."

"Though there was no intention to do good, the act itself is one of doing good. As the saying goes, the highest good is like water, and the River God's action is truly virtuous. May I ask, River God, why don't you explore that immortal's cave on your own?" Wang Huanzhen asked.

"Haha, you want to ask why I'm looking for you, right? You little Taoist priest, you speak so roundaboutly, it's so unpleasant. Forget about river god, just call me by my name," Ao Shuang said with a smile.

Wang Zhenhuan blushed when his secret was exposed. He hurriedly got up to pour tea for Ao Shuang, and then replied, "Elders come first. In that case, I will call the River God Brother Ao."

"Brother Ao, may I ask, this immortal cave is an immense opportunity, why have you chosen to seek out a person of such low strength as myself?"

"Hmph, opportunity. What you get is opportunity, what you can't get is just an external thing. Judging from that cave, it should have been left by an immortal of the Yuqing lineage. You have never met the Yuqing Daoist, have you?" Ao Shuang turned her head and asked.

"Indeed, no. I've had contact with the Shangqing and Taiqing Daoists. But I've never met a Daoist from the Yuqing lineage, and I haven't encountered any Yuqing disciples on my journey south." Wang Zhenhuan shook his head.

"That's right. The Yuqing lineage not only has few disciples, but also the worst temper. Among the three Taoist lineages, only the Yuqing lineage has many taboos and the fewest disciples. Not only do they forbid marriage, but they also look down on us outsiders the most."

Ao Shuang seemed to have suffered a loss at the hands of Daoist Yuqing, and spoke of the Yuqing lineage with a hint of resentment. Wang Zhenhuan was curious, as no one had ever told him about these things before, so he asked.

"May I ask, Brother Ao, what is the world's opinion on the three branches of Taoism? To be honest, I am a self-taught Taoist and no one has ever told me about these things," Wang Zhen asked curiously.

"Although the three branches of Taoism appear to be connected on the surface, they each worship their own patriarch. You should know that, right?" Ao Shuang asked in return.

"That's natural. The Taiqing lineage worships Taiqing Daode Tianzun, the Shangqing lineage worships Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun, and the Yuqing lineage naturally worships Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun."

Wang Zhen knew this very well, as Xuan Yangzi had specifically told him about it before. Therefore, he had a deep impression of it. Xuan Yangzi was a Taoist of the Taiqing lineage, and he worshipped Taiqing Daode Tianzun.

"That's right, and these three branches of Taoism not only have different rules and taboos, but also different areas of expertise. Take the Shangqing branch as an example; the Shangqing branch worships the Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun,"

"It also has the fewest rules and taboos among the three lineages. The Shangqing lineage emphasizes education for all, so it has the most nonconformists among its disciples. The Shangqing Daoists are also the most gentle in their dealings with others," Ao Shuang said.

Wang Zhen could discern a fondness for the Shangqing lineage in his words. However, considering his identity, it made sense. Since the Shangqing school embraced education regardless of social class, it was only natural for him, as an outsider, to like the Shangqing lineage.

"The Shangqing lineage is skilled in talismanic rituals and invoking spirits and ghosts. It also has the most disciples. Basically, nearly 90% of the Taoists active in our Great Song Dynasty are from the Shangqing lineage."

The Yuqing lineage is the complete opposite of the Shangqing lineage. They have countless taboos and rules, and the Yuqing sect has strict age limits for accepting disciples, and disciples are not allowed to marry after joining. Therefore, they have the fewest disciples.

However, every coin has two sides. Although the Yuqing lineage has many rules, its disciples are mostly focused on cultivation, so at the same age, their cultivation level is generally the highest.

Moreover, the Yuqing lineage excels in both martial arts and magic, and among the three Taoist lineages, they are the strongest in combat. Ao Shuang raised her teacup, moistened her throat, and then fell silent.

Because Daoist Xuan Yangzi was a member of the Taiqing sect, Wang Zhenhuan held the Taiqing lineage in the highest esteem. He was listening intently when Ao Shuang suddenly stopped, and instinctively asked:

"Brother Ao, what about the Taiqing lineage? What are the Taiqing disciples like?"

"The Taiqing lineage? Sigh..." Ao Shuang sighed, seemingly with some emotion, and said, "It's a pity that the Taiqing lineage lost the true scriptures of Tai Xuan cultivation at the end of the previous generation."

Now, so many years have passed, and none of his disciples have broken through to the Tai Xuan realm. Without breakthroughs, there is no ascension. Therefore, some of his disciples have returned to secular life, while others have switched to other lineages.

Nowadays, it is rare to see members of the Taiqing lineage. Among the three branches of Taoism, the Taiqing lineage is the most diverse in its knowledge, including geomancy, feng shui, finding auspicious sites, astronomical observation, medicine treatment, divination, and so on.

They had a smattering of knowledge in almost everything. Furthermore, while the Taiqing lineage didn't reject those of different kinds, they also didn't accept them as disciples. They had few rules and allowed marriage. Therefore, in the past, the number of disciples under their tutelage even exceeded that of the Shangqing lineage. It's just a pity…”

Ao Shuang's words finally made Wang Zhen understand why Daoist Xuan Yangzi had such a strong obsession with this "True Scripture of Primordial Dao Qi," even at the cost of his lifespan and life itself.

"That cave dwelling was left behind by an ascended Daoist of the Yuqing lineage, and it must contain arrangements specifically designed to target non-human beings. So now you should understand why I sought you out, right?" Ao Shuang asked, looking at Wang Zhenhuan's thoughtful expression.

"Brother Ao, this matter is of great importance, and I also bear a heavy responsibility. Could you spare some time to consider it with me?" Wang Huanzhen asked, looking up.

"That's natural, but water has no fixed shape, and who knows when that cave will be covered by silt again. How about this, I'll come to find you again tomorrow at noon?" Ao Shuang asked.

"It's a deal. Whether I go or not, I will definitely give Brother Ao a satisfactory answer!"