Chapter 4: Sword Peak

  In the Mingfa Hall, there is a lotus lamp shining brightly, with a radiant light.

  In the center, a ten-zhang-high Taoist path stood upright with hands behind its back, its aura ethereal and seemingly divine.

  "What is the body of pure gold?"

  He felt that this pure golden body was brought about by a thread of white energy leaking from his dantian.

  Ming Fa Lao Dao looked at him, his eyes no longer calm as before, but with a hint of serenity. "The path to immortality is vast and not everyone can set foot in it," he explained. "Only those with the right qualities can have a thread of fate tied to immortality, and these qualities are divided according to one's innate nature. In this world, there are many types of innate natures, but ordinary people mostly have all five elements balanced within them, so they cannot become an ultimate body of the five elements. When it comes to cultivating immortality, at first glance, it is the physical constitution that matters. The worst case scenario is being biased towards a single element, and this is usually the case for ordinary disciples when they first enter the sect. They are divided into metal-bodied, wood-bodied, water-bodied, fire-bodied, and earth-bodied."

  "Besides this, there are also multiple physical constitutions that are more favored by heaven, and can possess more than two five-element attributes. The path of the immortal is even more effortless and doubly rewarding. After that, outside of the five elements, in the heavens and earth, there are a small number of people who set foot outside the five elements and obtain divine and extraordinary attributes. Just like my Qingyun Sect's Purple Thunder Peak lineage, all the disciples I accept are thunder-attribute, practicing thunder methods, borrowing the power of heaven and earth, grand and majestic."

  "Isn't that saying that outside of the Five Elements, there's something even more formidable than the Five Elements?"

  The old man shook his head, and his gaze towards Qitian became even softer. He said: "The Tao of immortality is vast and profound, boundless and endless. Under the great Tao, there is no absolute nothingness. Outside the five elements, although there are people with extraordinary talents, generally speaking, having two types of five-element physiques can be compared to each other. For example, Yun Fei's physique is biased towards earth and metal, not inferior to Zilei Peak's Lei body. As for your pure gold physique, it is the most refined and purest form of the metal element, which can only be possessed by a select few. With this physique, practicing the golden immortal technique will not only be several times faster than ordinary metal-element physiques but also more in line with the true nature of the metal element. In the future, your achievements will be even greater. To put it simply, you can compare to an average three-element physique."

  At this point, Ming Fa Lao Dao smiled and said: "Ming Fa is the second elder of Qing Yun Peak. Young brother, are you willing to join Qing Yun Peak? I can take you as my closed-door disciple."

  "Hey, Ming Fa Lao Er, aren't you being unfair? Do you want to monopolize everything?"

  As soon as Ming Fa's words fell, a thick voice rose outside the Ming Fa Temple. This sound was like thunder, and Qi Tian suddenly felt his ears buzzing and his body unstable.

  "Lei Shidi, can you keep your voice down? Miaozi has just entered the mountain and hasn't cultivated his Xianju yet, he can't handle your loud voice."

  Just as Qitian was about to fall, a warm and gentle voice poured down like a heavenly spring, calming his restless mind. At the same time, more than ten Daoist priests arrived in unison and stepped into the Mingfa Hall.

  More than a dozen Taoists, each with an aura of immortality surrounding their bodies, every one of them had crystal clear muscles, emitting a faint fragrance, their eyes wide open and shining brightly between the eyebrows, clouds gathering and dispersing under their feet, truly like celestial beings among mortals, causing Qi Tian to be shaken and unable to calm down.

  This is what it means to be a true member of the immortal family.

  "Master!"

  At this time, Yun Fei lowered his head and bowed to a middle-aged Taoist on the far right.

  Zhitian only then noticed this person, who had a majestic and dignified demeanor, but wore a sloppy grey Taoist robe with no attention to detail, and unlike the other dozen or so Taoists, did not have an ethereal air about him, but rather looked like an ordinary person.

  In his hand, he was holding a wine gourd, and without paying attention to Yun Fei's greeting, he leaned alone against the temple gate, pouring mouthful after mouthful into his mouth.

  "Head of the sect, I didn't expect to have startled you and several other peak masters."

  Ming Fa Lao Dao sighed with a bitter smile, and at the same time glanced at Qi Tian, knowing that there was probably no chance left.

  Qingyun Sect Master!

  Among the people in front of him, one person stood out. He was an old Daoist wearing a white robe. His black hair was as dark as ink, his eyes sparkled like electricity, and his body emitted a fragrance that wafted gently through the air. His skin was crystal clear, almost translucent enough to see the blood flowing beneath it, and it also radiated a faint layer of soft white light.

  It was as if a great mountain was standing before him, majestic and towering into the sky, with an intangible aura that suppressed the entire Mingfa Hall.

  "A body of pure gold, good physique, I am Qingyun Sect, among the 16th and 17th generation disciples, only a few people can be compared," said the old Taoist with a smile, "to remain calm in the face of change, this temperament is also necessary, not bad, several fellow disciples, what do you think of this disciple?"

  "Not bad, a mere mortal, facing several of us, can remain so calm, is already not bad," the voice of Lei Yin sounded again, but this time it was a slightly gaunt purple-haired Taoist, around whom seemed to be flashing threads of purple lightning, with an extraordinary aura. "How about this, my Purple Thunder Peak originally has few disciples, this time, why don't I just take him for my Purple Thunder Peak? My Golden Elixir Scripture also has some extraordinary might, won't humiliate this pure golden body."

  "Lei Shixiong, this statement of yours is not quite right," said a yellow-robed old Daoist shaking his head with a look of disapproval. "Although the disciples of Purple Thunder Peak are few in number, each and every one of them possesses extraordinary abilities. The Heavenly Thunder Orthodox Method is fierce and unparalleled, and among my eight meridians, there are hardly any that can compare to it. This pure golden body would be better off being given to me, Lietu Feng. My Lietu Feng has had two generations of declining fortunes in the Daoist world; it wouldn't hurt for an old Daoist like myself to gain some prestige."

  "I, Lieyang Peak, have many disciples, but I won't let talented ones slip away. In the past, I obtained a Golden Vajra Mystical Method, which was created by a half-step Dragon Gate realm's semi-immortal who had enlightened to the Western Heaven Buddha's Land Arhat Buddhist Dharma. It is quite extraordinary and has the mighty power of the Golden Vajra's angry gaze."

  He was a Daoist in purple robes, his hair blazed like fierce flames, each strand of hair crystal clear and translucent, as if there were divine flames burning within, standing there, even the air around him for several feet seemed to be distorted.

  Later, several Taoist priests spoke up one after another. Only Sword Peak's master and a middle-aged woman remained silent from start to finish.

  This middle-aged woman had a stern air, wearing a long white dress made of silk, with piercing eyes that seemed to hold thousands of sharp blades within them. Qi Tian only took one glance and felt his whole body turn cold, unable to look directly at her.

  "Why don't we let him choose for himself?"

  Everyone was taken aback.

  "Haha, Qinglian is indeed decisive!" The white-robed old Daoist laughed and then looked at everyone, "What do you all think?"

  "It's entirely up to our senior fellow disciple to decide."

  "What Green Lotus said is quite right."

  That Lianyang Peak's peak master burst into loud laughter. Instantly, except for that Jianfeng Peak's peak master, everyone else's gaze converged onto Qitian.

  This was an enormous pressure, in the Ming Fa Hall, the air almost solidified, Qi Tian suddenly had a feeling of facing a divine being, his spirit almost escaping from his body.

  What is that white millet?

  Zhitian has no time to consider, at this moment, he must make a choice. Although it's just a short moment, he also sees that the immortal gate seems to be inseparable from the seven emotions and six desires.

  Suddenly, his gaze swept over, not far away, Yun Fei's face was gloomy, hanging his head in silence, but the stubborn color that seeped out of his eyes was like a sharp sword piercing into his heart.

  "Qitian, do you know why for years I've had you come up the mountain and only taught you to read the Daoist scriptures, without passing on a single move or technique?"

  "I don't know."

  "Your swordsmanship talent is the highest in Wudang's history, but since our founder, Zhen Dan Yang, achieved enlightenment and ascended to immortality after mastering the Sword of Wisdom, no one has been able to reach this state again. Therefore, I will only teach you to read the Taoist scriptures, recite the Taiji Sword Classic every day, for Taiji is born from Wuji, and being is born from non-being."

  Master!

  Zi Tian felt a pang in his heart, and at this moment, his gaze met Yun Fei's, both of them simultaneously shuddering all over.

  The old man in white robes slightly frowned and said: "Have you made a decision?"

  Taking a deep breath, Qitian raised his head, silently reciting the true meaning of Taiji Sword in his heart. The fusion of yin and yang in his mind made the intangible pressure from the Mingfa Hall seem to fade away instantly.

  It seems that they sensed the change in Qitian, and several white-robed old Daoists had a strange color in their eyes. The master of Qinglian Peak also had a slightly gentle gaze, revealing some praise.

  A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and Qitian glanced at Yun Fei, saying respectfully: "The disciple is willing to join the Jianfeng Sect, I hope the sect leader will approve."

  What!

  In the Mingfa Hall, everyone was stunned, only the Sword Peak Master's eyes slightly paused, and then fell back on the wine gourd in his hand.

  After counting his breath, the master of Lieyang Peak was the first to shout: "Sword Peak! You little thing, don't you know that entering Sword Peak can only lead to the path of swordsmanship? Your pure golden body, don't ruin your own immortal path!"

  "Beware of the bright yang, be cautious with your words!" The white-robed old Daoist said, glancing at the temple gate.

  "Yes, Senior Brother."

  Liyang Peak's master performed the ritual, but his eyes showed indifference.

  Looking at Qitian again, the white-robed old Daoist said seriously: "Considering you've just entered the mountain gate and know very little, the way of the sword is not the ultimate path, it's hard to ascend to immortality, you can choose again."

  "Little one, don't ruin your own future! Listen to the master's words!"

  Behind him, Ming Fa elder stepped forward two steps, grabbed Qi Tian's arm and said in a low voice.

  Shaking his head, Qi Tian said: "My disciple's mind is made up and will no longer change!"

  "Little one, you—" Ming Fa elder was somewhat exasperated.

  With a wave of his hand, the old Daoist in white robes sighed and said: "It's fate, it's destiny. The path to immortality is long and unpredictable, and its secrets are hidden in the heavens. Nothing can be forced, let us disperse."

  The old man turned around and left, many Taoists shook their heads and sighed. The master of Lieyang Peak glared at Yun Fei and said: "You misled the young man!"

  Lianhua Peak's leader coldly glanced at him: "Didn't you hear Eldest Martial Brother's words?"

  He let out a cold snort, and the master of Lieyang Peak left Mingfa Hall without giving Qitian another glance. The others dispersed, and Qitian had an illusion that the master of Lianhua Peak had gazed at him for a long time before leaving. (Sweat, overslept, everyone please forgive me, nothing to say, first chapter is up, seeking recommendation votes, bookmarks, new book period, everyone's support!)