Chapter Fourteen: Arrival of Auspicious Signs

  The common saying goes: "In the mountains, there is no sun or moon." This statement actually makes some sense.

  Ji Ruocheng sat in meditation every day, his mind undisturbed, and the time passed like flowing water. One day, he put on his clothes and pushed open the door to see that it was snowing heavily outside, with jade-like flowers and trees made of precious stones. He couldn't help but feel a little surprised that winter had arrived so quickly. He also saw many disciples moving boxes and running back and forth, busier than in previous years. It wasn't until then that he realized the big exam was approaching. Calculating the time, Ji Ruocheng had unknowingly spent almost five years at the Dao De Zong.

  The moral sect's grand examination is held once every ten years, and it is a major event within the sect. Before and after the exam, as usual, sacrifices are made to heaven and earth, and homage is paid to past masters, but this ceremony is much more elaborate than in ordinary years, not only are the rituals more complex, but also widely invite various Taoist schools to witness the grand occasion. Therefore, before each grand examination, the moral sect is a scene of busy activity from top to bottom.

  This grand examination is slightly different from the usual annual examinations. At the time of the grand examination, the true person often personally attends and comments on the scene, pointing out to his disciples. Moreover, at each grand examination, there will be a true person who will ascend to the platform, set up rituals, and proclaim the essence of the great Tao. This is a rare event that occurs only once in ten years, not comparable to ordinary celebrations. What's more, when the true person lectures on the law, it's not just limited to the disciples of this sect who can attend and listen, but also allows outsiders from other sects to come and observe. Therefore, every time there is a grand examination, cultivators from various sects flock to Xihuan Mountain like bees. At that time, the top of Xihuan Mountain is crowded with people, bustling and extraordinary, changing the usual quiet and deserted scenery.

  Actually, the moral sect invites guests to observe and examine, with a long history. More than 300 years ago, the moral sect began to widely recruit disciples, and from then on, it became increasingly prosperous. At that time, the grand examination and the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven and earth and previous masters were held simultaneously. Moreover, they would often invite some close-door disciples from other sects to observe. The original intention was twofold: one was to showcase the outstanding talents of the moral sect, highlighting its strength. Two, the stones from other mountains can be used to polish jade, and the comments from scholars of other sects often also inspire people.

  Fifty years ago, the Dao De Sect had accumulated for hundreds of years and already had three thousand disciples. The leader, Zi Wei True Person, was even more profound in his dao, gradually becoming more mysterious and powerful. Wherever he went, the heavens and earth would change color and strange phenomena would frequently occur. From this point on, the various schools of Daoist cultivation came to know that Zi Wei True Person had aspirations for ascension to immortality, and from then on, the prestige of the Dao De Sect reached its peak, gradually surpassing both the Qing Xiu Palace and the Yun Zhong Ju.

  After Zhiyi True Person closed the mountain, all factions knew that the True Person was preparing for the final ascension to immortality. With the prestige of the Daoist sect not declining but rising, there was a hint of being the leader of the Orthodox Way of Heaven. From then on, Ziyang True Person decided to open the mountain gate widely. The door faction that came to congratulate and pay respects during the grand examination was no longer limited to just a few families, but all orthodox factions under heaven. All who wished to come and congratulate were welcomed with courtesy, allowing them to watch the battle and listen to the scriptures, in order to demonstrate the magnificent style of the leader of the Daoist sect under heaven, and its glorious prosperity.

  Of course, not everything within the sect is open to outsiders. For example, when there was still a month before the Grand Examination, Ji Ruochen was informed that he did not need to participate in this year's Grand Examination. Ji Ruochen didn't want that empty title anyway; even if the reward for being first in the Grand Examination was good, it wasn't as good as the magical artifact that true people had secretly given him. In this way, he was rather happy to have some peaceful days and could quietly cultivate himself.

  Moreover, in the past year, he has accumulated a lot of precious materials for alchemy and medicine making. Recently, his true yuan has become more vibrant, so it's just right to take advantage of everyone's busyness at the end of the year to secretly advance his Taoist practice by another small step.

  As soon as winter arrived, the congratulatory couplets and gifts from various sects poured in like a tidal wave towards Xixuan Mountain. Since Ziyang True Person opened the mountain gate, the number of guests coming to congratulate him increased with each passing day, and the reputation of Daode Sect grew more prosperous by the day. The few true persons who had previously expressed some reservations about Ziyang True Person's methods also stopped speaking out against him.

  These daily exchanges of courtesy, morality and orthodoxy have a special department to handle them, generally without the need to trouble the eight true persons, but on this day, the eight true persons gathered in one hall, with a solemn and dignified air, a letter of invitation was placed on the table.

  Ziyang Zhenren saw that all the other Zhenrens were seated, so he took out a memorial and began to read: "I have long heard of the nine meridians of the Dao De sect's art, which is renowned throughout the world. However, there is also a saying that the nine arts of Dao De are like unraveling a thread - not one of them is long. Now I bring three disciples to pay respects, and though they may be like a gentle breeze entering the forest, not being cedars or pines, I only wish to distinguish the words of people in the world and broaden the horizons of rustic scholars. I reckon that all you Zhenrens must have something to offer, and will not disappoint me."

  "The heavens and seas in the clouds, I respectfully offer this to you."

  As soon as the various immortals heard the four words "Cloud Heaven and Sea", they knew that this letter of invitation was not ordinary, each and every one of them had a solemn expression, some furrowed their brows, others sank into deep thought, and for a time the hall was extremely quiet.

  Speaking of Yun Zhong Tian Hai, all true men know that it is the self-proclaimed name of Yun Zhong Ju Tian Hai. Tian Hai Lao Ren has been famous for over a hundred years and is a contemporary figure with Zi Yang Zhen Ren. However, his status and reputation are even higher than those of Zi Yang Zhen Ren. The Yun Zhong Ju he came from is also not inferior to the Dao De Sect. For thousands of years, it has been renowned throughout the world. But truly, there are only a handful of people who have had the fortune to see the true appearance of Yun Zhong Ju.

  Yun Zhong Ju is located in a remote and dangerous place, with very few people coming down the mountain. As a result, this sect has always been shrouded in mystery. Moreover, Yun Zhong Ju is extremely strict in selecting disciples, often not accepting anyone for many years. This is in stark contrast to the open-door policy of Dao De Zong. However, once a Yun Zhong Ju disciple leaves the mountain, they are bound to be an extraordinary talent, which explains why their reputation has endured for centuries without decline. Even now, with fewer than one-tenth the number of disciples as Dao De Zong, they remain so.

  Yun Zhong Ju's leader has been in seclusion for decades and never left the mountain, among the older generation of cultivators, only Tian Hai Lao Ren often walks around at the foot of the mountain. Therefore, when mentioning Tian Hai Lao Ren, his reputation is even greater than that of Yun Zhong Ju's leader.

  Thirty-five years ago, the Zhenren of the Purple Mist announced to the world that all Taoist sects would be closed. The Old Man of the Heavenly Sea only got the Western Mystic Mountain, and had a debate with the Zhenren of the Purple Mist on the Tao and the law. After three days, he went down the mountain. This debate can be called a grand event in the Taoist world. Although the result was not announced, everyone knew that the Old Man of the Heavenly Sea would surely lose. However, at that time, the Zhenren of the Purple Mist had already shown the sign of flying ascension, and his Taoist law had reached the ultimate power of heaven and earth, which was beyond human resistance. Therefore, although the Old Man of the Heavenly Sea lost, he still gained honor, and his reputation rose instead of falling, and he had already surpassed other Zhenren of the Taoist sects.

  The Taoist school has been established for over 3,000 years, and it has always been stipulated that the true people of various sects are on an equal footing. The rest of the disciples are divided into different levels based on this foundation, with each level being lower than the previous one. If not, the titles of this school would have been in disarray long ago. For example, among the true people, Ziyang and Ziwu are of the same generation, while Taiyin, Shouzhēn, etc. are actually a generation lower. As for Yuxuan, Yu Xu, and Jingxiao, regardless of age or generation, they are even lower than that. The old man Tianhai is older than the true person Ziyang, and in terms of years of cultivation, he has more than 100 years on the youngest true person, Yuxuan.

  Everyone present, although not speaking out loud, understands in their hearts that except for the Purple Mist True Person, the cultivation of everyone else here is far inferior to that of Old Man Tian Hai. Now that Old Man Tian Hai has come up the mountain for the third time, it's likely that he has made thorough preparations. Coincidentally, this happens to be when the Purple Mist True Person is in seclusion and a major test is imminent. For a moment, these true persons who usually focus on improving their cultivation are all somewhat at a loss, unsure of what to do. At this time, they can only hope that the Purple Sun True Person will have a way to respond. When it comes to being well-versed in human emotions and handling matters with precision, the seven true persons all know that they cannot compare to the Purple Sun True Person.

  Facing the eager eyes of many true people, Ziyang True Person picked up the memorial tablet again and read it carefully. He said: "Thirty-five years ago, Tianhai Old Man was defeated by Purple Microcosm Palm Master, twenty years ago during the Great Examination, he brought a young disciple from Yunzhongju to the mountain, but was defeated by Shen Boyang of our sect again. As they say, 'things don't happen more than three times', this time Tianhai Old Man has returned with great fanfare, I'm sure he has considerable confidence in avenging his past defeats. However, I reckon he won't engage in a debate or contest of magical powers with us, after all, the name and reality of our sect's Purple Microcosm Palm Master being the best in the world is well-deserved. Even if he wins against us, it won't be of much use."

  Ziyang Zhenren paused slightly, swept his gaze over the various Zhenren, and continued: "In my opinion, this article must have been written by these three disciples. It seems that in the past twenty years, Yunzhongju has produced several more exceptional talents. Our sect's current reputation is far from what it was in the past. Moreover, this year's grand examination was unprecedented in its grandeur, with almost all of the major Orthodox sects sending multiple representatives to attend the ceremony. If at that time the young disciples of Yunzhongju were to surpass those of our sect, people would inevitably think that the three disciples of Yunzhongju had surpassed the 3,000 disciples of Daode Zong."

  All the immortals frowned and remained silent. The Old Man of Heaven and Sea brought only three disciples up the mountain, although the Taoist sect had many followers, but they couldn't use the wheel formation to fight, so even if there were more disciples under his door, it would be useless.

  Zi Yun Zhen Ren said, "Nowadays, the younger generation of disciples in our sect are also talented and outstanding. Apart from Ji Bing Xian, there are also Li Xuan Zhen, Shang Qiu Shui, and Ming Yun. I think Tian Hai Lao Ren will be defeated this time."

  Ziyang Zhenren closed his eyes and sank into thought for a moment, then said: "I don't think so. At such a grand occasion, when the righteous path of heaven is before us, if Tianhai Lao Ren didn't have absolute confidence, he wouldn't dare take this great risk. What our sect has grasped is not some earth-shaking secret that can be hidden from Yun Zhongju. Now that Tianhai Lao Ren still dares to come up the mountain and challenge us, it's definitely not simple. In my opinion, in this battle between the two factions, our sect will likely suffer more losses than gains, and probably lose."

  All the true people know that Ziyang True Person's words are reasonable, but for the time being, there is no good strategy. The various Xian schools compete with young disciples, not to see who has higher or lower Dao, but to test their potential and innate talent, as well as their level of enlightenment. As long as they show a little bit, the true people will understand. In this short period of time, where can we find a disciple with more talent than Ji Bingxian?

  Ziyang Zhenren hesitated for a moment, then said: "We should take a long-term view and not worry about temporary gains or losses. Let's just let Dust clear his mind and not participate in the grand examination. Regardless of Tianhai Lao Ren's intentions, our sect will respond with generosity and magnanimity. If we win, that would be best; if we don't, then after Tianhai Lao Ren is satisfied, he will surely be even more strict in selecting disciples. Bing Xian's talent is rare in a hundred years, and Yun Zhong Ju's vision is high, so it's naturally harder to recruit him as a disciple. Given time, their people are sparse, if they want to compete with our sect for supremacy, it would only add to the joke."

  After the discussion, all the immortals dispersed and went their separate ways.

  According to the moral sect's convention, the grand examination is held between the 15th and 20th of the first month. As soon as the first month arrived, guests from various orthodox Daoist schools have been arriving one after another to attend the ceremony. The Dao De Sect has long been prepared, with the Tai Shang Dao De Palace covering an area of thousands of hectares, with countless side houses and guesthouses, which can accommodate thousands of people for the ceremony, it's just a small matter.

  At this time, the Western Mystery Mountain is filled with flying snow, all peaks are white, only the top of Moganshan and Jiuyi Group Peaks have clear springs gurgling, lush green shade, butterflies dancing among flowers, beasts roaming under the forest, a complete Southern country scenery. Walking on Moganshan, walking in the Taoist Palace, even the gentle breeze that brushes against my face has a subtle fragrance, the scent of sandalwood, and looking at the palace, the mysterious rocks pave the way, white jade for steps, purple pear trees as pillars, gold-painted beams, what a magnificent scene!

  In fact, this superficial prosperity is not particularly rare. Among the orthodox sects, several large factions with a history of thousands of years can barely afford such wealth. The heretical sects are even more prosperous. However, to maintain such a thriving scene in a grand palace like the Taishang Dao Palace, it's unknown how many precious artifacts and materials need to be invested to sustain the Xixuan Wuyue Great Array's defiance of heaven?

  Guests who had previously attended the ceremony at Daodezong and witnessed the grandeur of the Xuanwu Cliff Array were still shocked when they saw it again. Those who climbed to the top of Moganshan for the first time couldn't help but be stunned.

  On the tenth day of the first month, it is the formal day for Dao De Zong to welcome guests. On this morning, the drums and music in the Tai Shang Dao De Palace sounded together, and the silk and bamboo instruments were played loudly. In the midst of the lingering sound of the music, the immortal wind swirled around, and the leaden clouds that originally filled the sky were also forced away by the supreme magical power of the various true immortals. In an instant, the clouds dispersed and the blue sky was revealed like a wash.

  Before long, a red sun burst out from the eastern mountains, dyeing half of the sky and clouds crimson. Then, a clear and melodious long whistle echoed through the peaks, amidst the whistling sound, a blue bird soared into the sky, rising with the sun.

  After the Blue Phoenix, a hundred white cranes flew up slowly and hovered around the Moganshan Peak, their cries echoing and adding to the celestial atmosphere of the Golden Jade Palace of Supreme Virtue.

  All the guests were delighted and praised, feeling that their trip was not in vain.

  From this day on, the Taoist sect opens its mountain gate and welcomes guests from all over the world.

  "How common! How very common! Commonness is unbearable!"

  Gazing at the golden and majestic Taishang Daode Palace on the top of Moganshan, an old man was furious and stomped his feet in anger. He was short and thin, with a reddish complexion, half bald, and only had a few strands of sparse white hair hanging from the top of his forehead.

  This old man's appearance was not particularly impressive, but his attire was extraordinary. The brocade robe on his body seemed to be shrouded in a layer of light purple mist at first glance. On the front chest, mountains and rivers were embroidered, while clouds and winds were painted on the back heart. At the collar and sleeve edges, black gold thread was used to embroider patterns of hundreds of beasts sealing the mouth. This brocade robe had a great origin, named Four Seas Ascending Peace Robe, a famous object in the cultivation world.

  Apart from this robe, the old man still had a jade pendant hanging from his waist, left behind by Ge Zhitian, the former master of the Tianyi Sect, when he became an immortal. On his finger was a ring that was left behind by Tianfengzi after his death. As for the string of wooden beads hanging around his neck, although it looked dull and unremarkable, its origins were not insignificant either - it was something that Peng Zu had played with before he achieved enlightenment.

  To sum it up, this old man has nothing on him that doesn't have a grand origin. He can be said to be covered in brocade and jade all over his body, with an immortal aura surrounding him and precious energy overflowing. The things he has on him are enough to rival the accumulated wealth of an ordinary small clan.

  The old man's kick was filled with anger and sent the giant bird into a downward spiral, its wings spread wide as it let out a mournful cry. The bird, known as the Yi Feng, had been floating on the clouds like a massive ship, but now it plummeted fifty feet before stabilizing itself.

  On the broad back, three young people, two women and one man, were still standing. At this time, a woman smiled lightly and said: "Master, why are you angry?" The clear and crisp voice was like a new oriole coming out of the valley, charming and moving, yet extremely cold, piercing to the lungs. Looking closely at the woman again, her willow eyebrows and phoenix eyes were condensed, her skin was delicate and slender, her eyes flowed with charm, and she was born with a hundred charms, so beautiful that it took one's breath away. She wore a wide-sleeved gauze shirt, with an embroidered flower sleeveless jacket outside, and a black long skirt below, with a silk scarf hanging down from her shoulder, her figure was extremely delicate and exquisite, but around her body, there seemed to be a cold and gloomy aura that made people feel chilled when they looked at her.

  The old man snorted, pointing at the Taoist palace in the distance. "Twenty years ago, the Taoist palace was nothing but a place relying on the Western Mystic Cliff Array to protect its clear springs and green trees, creating a fake fairyland to deceive ignorant people. But now they not only defy the natural order, but also resort to tricks like flying cranes and auspicious omens to deceive the world! Hmph! Such extravagance and decadence, I'd love to see how long they can last! Vulgar! Truly vulgar! Unbearably vulgar!"

  The woman laughed softly and said, "But their lineup is a bit too big, the Qing Luan is a divine bird, and it's actually been tamed by the Dao De Sect, it's really hard to believe."

  As soon as the Azure Luan was mentioned, the old man's face turned several shades darker, and he said coldly: "Shi Ji, you're wrong about this. With the Purple Subtlety True Person's ascension imminent, it's not unusual for some rare birds and beasts to come and pay their respects. It's just that among the multitude of living beings, there are many who are ignorant and think that the Dao De Sect is the chosen one of Heaven. Hmph! The Dao De Sect is full of false kindness and righteousness, although they have many followers, but they're not all good people. To say nothing of three thousand disciples, even if they had thirty thousand followers, how could they compare to my solitary and lofty dwelling in the clouds?"

  Shi Qi smiled and said, "The Dao De Zong has accumulated for three thousand years and widely accepts disciples. I've said it before, Master, if you want to compete with them in terms of exotic treasures, how can there be a good outcome? It's better to see the cultivation of their disciples instead."

  The old man's face turned even darker, and he let out a furious hum, but didn't say anything. A dark energy emanated from his feet, and with a loud whooshing sound, he shot off like a meteor towards Mogan Peak.

  When it was only a hundred feet away from Moganshan, the Roc finally spread its wings and slowly landed on the white jade platform extending out of the cliff in front of the Taishang Daode Palace.

  On the White Jade Platform, all eight veins of the Dao De Zong had gathered, with a hundred disciples lined up neatly behind them. Behind them stood hundreds of guests from various sects, packed tightly together. At this time, the guests from each sect were all surprised and delighted, pointing and whispering to each other, feeling extremely fortunate to have witnessed this ceremony, not only meeting the Dao De Zong's eight veins' true people but also having the chance to see rare and precious birds like Qing Luan and Yi Duo.

  Only a few dozen feet away from the ground, Ziyang True Person led the Dao De Zong true persons forward and loudly said: "Tian Hai Old Man's crane carriage has arrived, my Dao De Zong is actually a humble abode!"

  The old man Tian Hai stood on the top of the pavilion, as if he was in a high position looking down. He smiled and bowed his head slightly, just about to say something humble, when suddenly a blue bird circling in the sky let out a clear cry, its tone revealing a murderous intent!

  Suddenly hearing the sound of Qing Luan's cry, it was so frightened that its wings stiffened and almost fell onto the White Jade Stage. Fortunately, it was also a rare species, and after a flurry of rapid wingbeats, Qing Luan cried out once more but did not continue, allowing it to barely land on the White Jade Stage.

  In an instant, nine-tenths of Tian Hai Lao Ren's imposing manner when he arrived had dissipated.

  The old man Tian Hai had a dark face, stepped down from the altar, stared at Ziyang True Man, and kept saying: "Good, good..."