Chapter 13 Dao Chong Zhenren
The old man surnamed Chen took out a piece of brocade, took a look at it, and said, "Room six in the east is vacant and faces the sun. Brother Zhou, what do you think?" Brother Zhou said, "Let's take this one." The old man surnamed Chen took out a wooden sign from his body and said, "This is the access card for the room." Brother Zhou took it, nodded, and led Shi Feng to the east corridor.
The square courtyard centered a clear pond filled with lotus leaves. In late autumn, the pond was bursting with blooming lotuses, and a few cranes floated on the surface, occasionally cranes craned their necks to the top. The two men walked to the door marked "Six." Senior Brother Zhou waved a wooden sign, and the door silently swung open. The room inside wasn't large, but it was spotlessly clean and spotlessly tidy.
Senior Brother Zhou closed the door and said, "Please take a seat." Shi Feng sat down on a stool. Senior Brother Zhou said, "Okay, we are now inside the mountain gate. You can tell me why you are here." Shi Feng stood up and said, "I can only report this to Master Dao Chong after I see him."
Senior Brother Zhou was stunned. He said with a stern face, "The headmaster is in seclusion year-round. Even I only see him once or twice a year. How can you just ask me to see him? Well, I don't care what you want to report, but first, tell me your name, your background, and how the Danyang Grandmaster's plaque ended up in the hands of a mere mortal like you." Shi Feng thought for a moment, then said, "I must personally report these matters to Master Dao Chong."
Senior Brother Zhou's face changed, and he suppressed his anger and said, "Okay, then you just wait. You are just a mortal, and you may not be able to see the real master even if you wait for your whole life." After that, he threw the wooden sign on the table and left.
But it didn't take a lifetime, just a meal's time, for Senior Brother Zhou to rush back and say, "Let's go, the headmaster wants to see you."
They walked out of the courtyard and went straight to a flat pavilion in the east. There was a magic circle on it. A fat man was yawning. Senior Brother Zhou pulled Shi Feng and hurriedly walked into the magic circle and said, "Let's go to Tiejian Peak!" The fat man hurriedly tapped the token in his hand, and the magic circle glowed with mysterious light.
The next moment, Shi Feng and Brother Zhou were on a high mountain. The mountain path wound through mist at their feet, and the mist surrounded the mountainside. There were many houses and buildings on the top of the mountain. Brother Zhou led Shi Feng all the way to a secluded spot on the north side, where there was only a simple bamboo hut.
Just as Senior Brother Zhou and Shi Feng reached the door of the bamboo hut, a deep, old man's voice called out from inside, "Zhou Qing? Come in." Senior Brother Zhou Qing bowed and accepted, leading Shi Feng through the door. The hut was small. Sitting on a bamboo mat in the east was a Taoist priest, his hair and beard white, tied with a rhinoceros hairpin, and his expression gentle. Sitting on a chair next to him was an elderly man in black, half bald, with a sinister look between his brows.
Shi Feng saw that the old Taoist in front of him was exactly the same as the image left by the Danyang Taoist, so he quickly bowed to the ground and said, "I am here to meet Taoist Dao Chong!" The old Taoist said with a smile, "Please stand up, young friend." A gentle force lifted Shi Feng up, and Taoist Dao Chong said, "Zhou Qing, you go out and wait." Zhou Qing responded, bowed, turned around and left the room.
The Taoist priest Dao Chong said slowly, "I am Dao Chong. I heard that you came up the mountain with Junior Brother Danyang's nameplate to look for me. I wonder where Junior Brother Danyang is now?" Shi Feng said, "Master Danyang has passed away." The old man in black beside him interrupted, "When did it happen?" Shi Feng said, "It was last winter, about nine months ago."
Taoist Master Dao Chong and the other two showed no surprise when they heard this. Nine months ago, the natal divine tablet left by Taoist Master Danyang in the sect suddenly shattered. His death was known to everyone in the sect's upper echelons, and the sect sent many masters to investigate, but they still couldn't figure out the reason.
Taoist Priest Dao Chong nodded and said, "I wonder why Junior Brother Danyang died, and how his nameplate ended up in your hands, little brother?" Shi Feng took out a jade box from his arms and said, "The reason has been explained in detail in the jade box by Taoist Priest Danyang. Please take a look."
Dao Chong was about to take it when the old man in black suddenly said, "Wait, brother, this person's origins are unknown, be careful of deception." Dao Chong smiled and said, "This young brother has no magical powers and is a mortal. How could he plot against you and me?" The old man in black said, "If he had magical powers, how could he easily reach my Iron Sword Peak? The demons and monsters in this world have many tricks, often using poison, sowing seeds, bewitching, and seducing. This jade box is of unknown origin, so don't open it lightly."
Dao Chong stretched out his hand, and a ray of purple light fell on the jade box. The thumb-sized jade box instantly turned into a foot-long rectangle. Dao Chong silently practiced his profound skills and said after a while, "It's okay. The restriction on this jade box was indeed set by Junior Brother Danyang. It is the Nine-Nine Mysterious Turtle Seal. Even in the Taiji Sect, only you and I can break it. If others try to force it open, the entire jade box will explode. It seems that Junior Brother Danyang values the things inside very much."
As he spoke, he moved his right hand, casting a series of spells. A moment later, with a clear sound, the jade box slowly opened. Dao Chong glanced at it and naturally recognized the Seven Wonders Pagoda, the Tiangang Sword, the Flowing Cloud Shuttle, the Falling Soul Bell, and other items inside. In addition, there was also a jade slip and a round stone the size of an egg. Dao Chong examined them carefully and was slightly moved. "It seems to be the crystal core of a transformed monster. Junior brother, take a look."
The old man in black used his spiritual sense to explore and said with a mixture of surprise and joy, "As expected! I'm afraid there's no other item like this in the entire sect!" Dao Chong picked up the jade slip again and slowly penetrated it with a ray of spiritual sense. His face was expressionless for a full cup of tea. He sighed and handed the jade slip to the old man in black, "Junior brother, take a look at it too."
The old man in black also used his spiritual sense to read it, and said through gritted teeth, "It is indeed the evil hand of the Demon Puppet Sect. We must not let this matter go!" Taoist Chong said, "Let's consider this matter in the long run. You are Shi Feng, right?" He turned around and asked Shi Feng.
Shi Feng nodded and said, "That's right." Taoist Master Dao Chong nodded and said, "You're so young, and you've traveled thousands of miles. Thank you for the hard work." Shi Feng remembered something and took out the small bottle from his arms, saying, "These pills are also from Taoist Master Danyang." Taoist Master Dao Chong nodded and said, "Junior Brother Danyang has already said that these five Jingchen Pills are for you. He was worried that you were so young and penniless, and if you got sick, it would be difficult to treat. It's funny to say, these Jingchen Pills were originally a top-grade elixir used by Jindan-stage cultivators to improve their cultivation. Junior Brother Danyang spent over fifty years to obtain five of them. They are extremely precious. Even if a mortal like you ate them, they would cure all diseases, strengthen your bones and muscles, and allow you to fast for more than ten days."
The black-robed elder said, "Fortunately, he's a mortal, unable to unleash the spiritual energy within the elixir. If he were a Qi Refiner, the medicinal power within this Tranquility Pill would be so pure that he'd explode and die after taking just one." A flicker of pain crossed his eyes as he spoke. Tranquility Pills were so rare; he'd only obtained two in all these years, ready to take when he needed to break through a bottleneck. And this kid had actually eaten five Tranquility Pills like they were a meal. Just thinking about it made him want to vomit blood.
Shi Feng whispered, "My humble servant, I didn't know this pill was so precious. I accidentally swallowed one due to a persistent high fever. I'm returning the remaining four pills as they are." The black-clothed old man stood up in surprise, "What? Four more pills." He no longer cared about his masterly demeanor and came over to grab the vial. When he opened it, his wrinkled face immediately broke into a smile, and he said repeatedly, "Good, good. You did a good job."
Taoist Master Dao Chong was surprised and asked, "How could you have traveled over a thousand miles to reach Shigu Mountain if you hadn't taken the elixir?" Shi Feng said, "It took me eight months to get here slowly." Dao Chong nodded secretly when he heard that he didn't mention the hardships of the journey.
He then asked the black-robed elder, "Junior Brother, what do you think we should do about Junior Brother Danyang's last wish?" The black-robed elder shook his head and said, "I'm afraid this isn't appropriate. This boy has no spiritual roots and can't attain enlightenment. How can he be accepted into the inner sect? Even if you and I agree, Senior Brother, the Sect Leader, will never agree. I think we should just classify him as an outer disciple. That would be an explanation to Senior Brother Danyang."
Taoist Master Dao Chong stroked his beard and pondered, "This boy's family members tragically perished because of our Taiji Sect. Despite his youth, he kept his promise and bravely traveled thousands of miles to return his junior brother's belongings to our Taiji Sect. He has rendered great service to our sect." The black-robed old man sneered, "Master Brother is so old-fashioned, how could he easily change our ancestral rules?"
Taoist Master Dao Chong closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then said, "Shi Feng, you should stay in the guesthouse at the mountain gate and wait for news."
Shi Feng didn't really care whether he was accepted into the inner sect or not, but if he was kicked out of Taiji Sect, he didn't know where he would end up. Although he felt a little disappointed, he didn't plead. He simply bowed and left the bamboo house.
Not far from the bamboo house, Zhou Qing was waiting. Dao Chong Zhenren inside said, "Zhou Qing, take Shi Feng to the guesthouse and treat him well." Zhou Qing hurriedly bowed and said, "Yes, I will follow the master's instructions."
At that moment, Zhou Qing led Shi Feng down the mountain again and placed him in a guest house at the foot of the mountain. However, because Taoist Dao Chong said the four words "treat you well", Zhou Qing was much more polite in his words.
This wait lasted three full days. On the morning of the fourth day, Zhou Qing brought Shi Feng to Iron Sword Peak again. This time, he didn't go to the bamboo hut, but headed straight for the black hall in the center. From a distance, the hall looked majestic and imposing. As he approached, he saw that it was a translucent black and red, as if cast entirely of pig iron.
Shi Feng's heart tightened as he entered the hall. The vast hall was packed with over a hundred people, tall and short, fat and thin, men and women, young and old. Among them were Taoist disciples and those dressed in ordinary clothes. Despite the large number of people, the whole hall was completely silent. The whole hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
A row of statues stood in the center of the hall, beneath three large chairs. In the center sat Taoist Master Dao Chong, and to the right sat an old man in black. The chair to the left was empty. Along either side of the hall door were two more rows of chairs, each occupied by a dozen or so people, leaving a clear aisle in the middle. The other disciples in the hall stood behind these ten, each looking intently at their own thoughts with a solemn expression.
Zhou Qing led Shi Feng forward and bowed. "Master, Shi Feng has been brought here." He bowed and retreated to the ranks of the disciples. Shi Feng quickly knelt and kowtowed, "Greetings, Immortal Masters!" Taoist Dao Chong glanced at the group and said, "I have summoned you today to announce two things. The first is the death of Danyang Zhenren of Iron Sword Peak. Everyone knows this, but the cause is unknown..." He then briefly recounted the battle between Danyang Zhenren and the Demonic Puppet Sect in Da Cang Mountain, leaving out some of the details.
After finishing his words, he continued, "The second matter concerns Shi Feng. His family was destroyed and he was left without relatives because of his involvement with our Taiji Sect. Junior Brother Danyang was deeply regretful before his death. Shi Feng, only thirteen or fourteen years old, traveled thousands of miles, endured untold hardships, and returned Junior Brother Danyang's belongings. Among them, this Seven Wonders Pagoda is the magical treasure of our Iron Sword Peak, and one of the four great artifacts of the entire Taiji Sect. Therefore, Shi Feng has made great contributions to our Taiji Sect."
As he spoke, he said to Shi Feng in a gentle voice, "Shi Feng, Junior Brother Danyang's last words were for me to take you in as my disciple. Are you willing?" Shi Feng already had a certain understanding of cultivators by this time, and he longed to join them. Moreover, the Demon Puppet Sect that murdered his family was a major sect of cultivation. If he didn't join the Taiji Sect, how could he avenge his family? He immediately kowtowed and said, "I am willing."
Dao Chong nodded and continued, "You have no spiritual roots, so you cannot be accepted as an inner sect disciple. However, Junior Brother Danyang insisted on accepting you as an inner sect disciple in his last words. You have also made great contributions. I have specially come to Yantai Ridge these past two days to discuss this with Senior Brother, the head of the sect. He has shown mercy and taken pity on your misfortune, and has agreed to accept you as an inner sect disciple."
As soon as the words fell, some people below couldn't help but marvel at it. Without spiritual roots, one cannot practice Taoism. At most, one can do odd jobs in the outer sect. How could he be accepted into the inner sect? This is a strange story in the Tai Chi sect in the past hundred years.
The old man in black twitched his lips upon hearing this. "What do you mean by 'giving him a break'? Senior Brother, you've been arguing with him for three days, and he won't budge, just using ancestral rules as an excuse." Then, after agreeing to hand over the demon crystal from the transformed monster, the Sect Leader immediately changed his tune. "Hmph, a priceless demon crystal in exchange for a mortal without spiritual roots. Senior Brother, this deal is a complete loss."
Taoist Master Dao Chong stood up and pointed to the statue behind him, saying, "The one in the center is the founder of our Tai Chi sect, Tai Chi Immortal. The ones next to him are the past masters and sages of the sect. Come over and pay your respects to the founder."
Shi Feng looked up. In the center, a five-meter-tall iron statue depicted a middle-aged Taoist priest with bright eyes and a clear mind, carrying a long sword, looking as graceful as a flying bird. Nearby, several statues were dressed in Taoist attire, while others were dressed as laymen, each possessing an extraordinary bearing.
Shi Feng stepped forward and was about to kneel down to pay his respects when the black-clothed old man suddenly said, "Wait a minute, Senior Brother, you seem to have forgotten something." Dao Chong was startled. "Junior Brother, what is it?" The black-clothed old man said, "Before a disciple can perform the ceremony of paying homage to the master, they must undergo a spiritual root test." Dao Chong was a little confused. "Shi Feng has no spiritual roots. Junior Brother Danyang has already checked. Even a few days ago, when you and I saw this child, we both scanned him with our spiritual senses and confirmed that he indeed has no spiritual roots."
The old man in black smiled and said, "Brother, you and I just took a quick look with our spiritual sense and didn't delve into it. There are so many strange physiques in the world. Why not use the spiritual root plate to test them carefully to avoid any omissions, so that you and I can teach students according to their aptitude." Dao Chong changed his mind and understood what he meant. This junior brother Zhao was still worried about the demon crystal. If Shi Feng found out that there were spiritual roots or other mutated spiritual bodies, then it would not be an exception and the demon crystal would not have to be handed over to the sect leader.