Chapter 32: Searching for Someone in Wudang

  Mount Wudang, with a peak elevation of 1612 meters. Nearly a thousand Taoist temples and pavilions are scattered from the foot of the mountain, forming a "five-mile hermitage, ten-mile palace, vermilion walls and emerald tiles shining brightly. Lofty towers and pavilions hide in the golden and silver mist, surrounded by rolling hills and picturesque scenery."

  I walked into the mountain gate of Wudang Mountain, passing through the gate with the three large characters "Wudang Mountain" carved on it. I and Dengcao stepped up, along the way there were many tourists and pilgrims who paid homage to me, perhaps they also took me as a Taoist priest of Wudang Mountain? However, in a mountain full of Taoist priests, only one bald head seemed more eye-catching.

  "Is this monk from the Shaolin Temple here to challenge us?" Several tourists, seemingly having watched too many martial arts films, gazed at the majestic lamp posts and whispered among themselves.

  "Stop arguing, Shaolin and Wudang are the most prestigious schools in the martial arts world. Maybe he's an envoy sent by the Shaolin abbot to discuss where the next Martial Arts Conference will be held?" This topic quickly attracted many unfamiliar tourists.

  "Ugh, you guys should watch less martial arts dramas. He's clearly here to invite the leader of Wudang to go to Shaolin and protect a certain master who is about to ascend to heaven." Looks like this guy has watched "Journey to the West".

  "Hey, you monk, tell me, what are you doing here in Wudang?" After arguing for a long time without reaching any conclusion, someone finally couldn't hold it in and asked the question to the lamp grass by the roadside.

  "I'm just a poor monk, here to travel!" Lamp Grass said bluntly, actually he was looking for someone. But he feared that if he said so, these people would continue to ask if he came to find the master of Wudang, or to assist in a fight, or to protect the law.

  "Why is the monk not being honest and staying in the temple to chant scriptures, but instead running out to travel?" The disappointed tourists blamed the monk, thinking that he should be kneeling on a meditation cushion, expressionless, striking the wooden fish. Haven't you seen that many monks from big temples nowadays drive Benzes when they go out, with a pretty female donor sitting in the passenger seat? Their lives are much more comfortable than ordinary people's.

  "Senior brother, please stay, I, the poor Taoist, have paid my respects." As we walked and walked, I don't know how many levels of stairs we passed before my companion, Lamp Grass, and I arrived at the square in front of the Zixuan Great Hall. Before I could even catch my breath, a figure appeared before me - a Daoist wearing a Daoist robe, holding a feather duster, with quite a bit of Daoist charm.

  "What's up, Big Brother? I've paid my respects!" This is just a polite phrase. When Daoist priests meet, unless there's a huge gap in their seniority, they usually address each other as "Big Brother". You can't possibly call an elderly Daoist priest with a long white beard and an ethereal aura "Big Brother", right? It's like how some community police officers would address each other as "Captain" when they meet. "Don't shoot, Captain! It's one of us!"

  "I don't know where the senior fellow came from, and where he wants to go?" The Taoist priest estimated that I was not a local Taoist priest, so he came forward to ask me some questions. However, with hundreds of people in front of the main hall, he alone came to question me, which made me feel somewhat uncomfortable.

  "Returning to Master's question, I came from where I came from and went to where I went." Alright, playing with the sharp edge of the sword, this poor monk is not afraid of you.

  "Hmph~ How did Master Chen get into a fight with someone?" Just as I was about to take out my half-day's worth of effort and bicker with this Taoist, a clear and crisp female voice sounded in my ear. Accompanied by a soft laugh, a fragrant breeze floated over.

  "Wú Liàng Shòu" turned his head to take a look, and couldn't help but think to himself. He saw a fellow sister disciple wearing a pink Daoist robe, with a ponytail, holding a three-foot soft sword, standing behind him, now smiling lightly with beautiful eyes.

  "There's nothing much to it, I just saw that this senior brother didn't seem like a local, so I went up and asked him a few questions. How is your Taiyi Xuanmen sword practice coming along, junior sister? If there's anything unclear, feel free to ask me anytime." Indeed, no matter where she goes, she always receives special treatment, especially beautiful girls like her.

  "Where did this big brother come from?" The little Taoist nun blinked and asked me softly.

  "Let Shifu's sister know, I came from Mao Mountain. This time I came to Wudang Mountain is for tourism." I briefly explained the purpose of this trip. As for finding someone, it's better not to bother Xiaodao Girl with it, let's just find her slowly with Dengcao.

  "Maoshan Shaman?" Just a moment ago, he still thought the Taoist had some charm, but when those words came out of his mouth, Dao Ye suddenly didn't like him.

  "Where, where? If Mao Shan is deceiving people with Taoist magic, then isn't Wu Dang under your feet also deceiving tourists with fancy footwork? Following your logic, actually Mao Shan and Wu Dang are not that different. What do you say?" You respect me one inch, I'll return it tenfold. You dare to insult my school, so I don't need to be polite to your school either. Taoist master, I'm not dependent on you for food, why should I swallow my anger and be polite to you?

  "How dare you!" The man's internal energy technique was ultimately inferior to mine. In just a few words, he became enraged. He shouted "How dare you!" and then his hand, holding a duster, swung towards my cheek. This is the rhythm of striking first!

  Pin Dao is a person who convinces others with reason, and brute force is not his strong point. Deng Cao deeply understands this, so he pulled Pin Dao behind him just in time to avoid the attack of that Taoist. Then, clenching his fists, he directly confronted the Taoist who "fired the first shot" in front of him.

  "Hey, hey! Big brother, don't hit him. Have you forgotten Master's teachings? Be careful or you'll be punished!" The little Taoist girl saw her big brother and Deng Cao fighting, and she stomped her foot anxiously beside them.

  "Sister, they have their own measures, let's just consider it a mutual exchange. Don't worry, follow me and stand aside, just observe the changes." I pulled Little Taoist's hand and led her to the side, speaking to her in a seemingly carefree manner.

  "One energy subdues the Three Purities!" As he gazed at the bald man in front of him, who was evenly matched with himself, the Taoist took a deep breath and his duster brush swept across the top, middle, and bottom routes of the lantern grass.

  "Halt!" Just as the lantern was about to hit that Taoist, a feather duster suddenly swung over from the side and barely managed to dissolve the Taoist's "One Qi Transforms Three Purities" technique.

  "Master!" The Taoist turned his head to look, and couldn't help but stop fighting with the lantern grass. He hastily withdrew his sleeve and bowed his head in respect. Meanwhile, that pretty little junior sister of mine only now realized that I had been holding her hand all along. In a fit of shyness and anger, she stomped on my foot hard and also hastily came forward to pay respects.

  "I'm teaching you martial arts, not to fight with others. If your mind is unstable, the Taoist martial arts will be difficult for you to master, and learning it would be in vain." Only then did I have time to take a closer look at my junior sister's master, who was an old man with a white beard, wearing a Five Peaks crown on his head, a dark blue robe with a crossed collar, and a pair of thick-soled high-top cloud boots, standing majestically in front of the two siblings, teaching them with a stern expression.

  "Master!" When was the last time he had been scolded by his master like this? His heart panicked, his knees softened and he knelt down in front of the old Taoist.

  "Master, please spare my brother this time." The little sister stepped forward, holding onto the old Taoist's arm and twisting her body to plead with a soft voice. After all, he was her brother, even if there were countless things wrong with him, she couldn't bear to see him punished in front of an outsider like me.

  "Speak up, what exactly made you and others have a big falling out?" Alright, since the old Taoist has opened his mouth to ask for an explanation, that means he doesn't intend to punish his disciple. Isn't this clearly giving his disciple a chance to defend himself?

  "This is someone's pavilion, that is someone's mountain, and this hall is also someone's hall. It seems I still have to go beg for mercy for this goods. A strong dragon does not suppress the local snake, let alone I have something to ask this old Taoist!" After thinking about it in my heart, I adjusted my Taoist robe and walked over.

  "Master Uncle has been polite!" Calling him Master Uncle is a deliberate choice. No matter how capable you are, you can't surpass my master's status, right? By acknowledging me as Master Uncle, it means that in terms of seniority, I am your master's junior brother. If you don't acknowledge me, then I won't bother to give you face either. You can punish your disciple however you want, but I will never give him an excuse to save face!

  "Where is the immortal mountain of my uncle?" The old man was a person who had lived for so many years and had never seen anyone like me before. He immediately understood what I meant. However, he was indeed a high-ranking Taoist, and didn't take offense at all, instead using an attitude that made people feel as if they were encountering a gentle spring breeze to communicate with me.

  "A junior disciple from Maoshan, this time coming to your sacred mountain, actually came to find a person. However, the 800-mile Wudang Mountain, relying on my two legs, finding that person is like searching for a needle in the ocean. Just now, my junior brother and that senior brother, were just heroes meeting, itching for a fight. I suppose the majestic Wudang won't punish its disciples for sparring with others? You're polite to me, I'm even more polite to you. Anyway, saying a few pleasant words doesn't cost money, it's good for both of us."

  "Is that so?" The old Taoist was a seasoned veteran, how could he not hear the big olive branch I threw out in my words? Upon hearing this, he stroked his beard and smiled at me, then turned around to ask his disciple who was still kowtowing on the ground.

  "It's true, the young disciple saw that senior brother was born with a strong and fierce aura, and for a moment he felt itchy..."

  "Alright, I won't punish you this time. Next time when sparring with others, never use that powerful move again. After all, not everyone has the same level of skill as my disciple!" The sedan chair bearer lifted him up, and suddenly, Lamp Grass rose to the level of a master!

  "Two masters and apprentices, follow the poor Taoist into the temple, Chen Xuanfeng, pour tea to entertain guests!" As soon as the old Taoist spoke, I almost fell over. Chen Xuanfeng, this name is really familiar. In a daze, I arrived at Peach Island. And the old Taoist transformed into Huang Yaoshi, and my junior sister became Mei Chao Feng!

  "Dragon Jade, follow me into the hall!" It turned out that Little Sister's Taoist name was Dragon Jade, and I secretly remembered it in my heart.

  "Just now, my junior brother said that this time he came to Wudang to find someone. I don't know who my junior brother is looking for. Maybe I can help you solve your worries." Entering the grand hall and proceeding to the inner chamber, the old Taoist sat cross-legged on a rush cushion, twirling his whiskers as he asked.

  "Shifu, I wonder if Shibo has ever recognized this person?" To find the new generation of White Tiger, we must first find the previous generation's White Tiger, Shifu Ying. I decided to ask Old Dao about it, maybe he really knows something after all?