Transcendent Dawn

Chapter 621: Chapter 0621: Waste Mountain (Seeking Subscriptions)

Heize Mansion, in an unnamed desolate mountain.

“It should… be here.”

Clad in a straw hat and raincoat with a bamboo basket on his back, Xu Changqing looked at the fog-shrouded deep mountains: “Grandpa… According to the chatter in the market, this unknown mountain is said to be inhabited by a real Taoist cultivator.”

“Hmm, it’s worth checking out, but remember to stay safe.”

Su Lu casually reminded him.

After resolving the issue with Zhou Quan, there was no other external threat to Xiaozhai Village.

Xu Changqing, having reached the Spirit Refining stage and finding no path in martial arts, had to embark on a journey to seek the way of immortality.

In this regard, Su Lu gave him two recommendations.

The first one was to join the government!

The Great Luo Imperial Court, with its immortal beings, should have no shortage of cultivation techniques. By joining organizations like the Demon Bureau, he could accumulate merit and eventually exchange it for cultivation techniques.

However, Xu Changqing had just killed an inspector of the ninth rank and was feeling guilty. Coupled with his disdain towards the government, he had directly chosen to decline.

The second suggestion was to seek out some cultivation sects.

Su Lu didn’t have any good leads on this either, leaving Xu Changqing to seek signs of cultivators within Heize Mansion on his own.

If he still couldn’t find any, he would have to expand his search to the State of Ling.

“To be honest… the wilderness is extremely dangerous, especially these uninhabited mountains. Are there really people living in there?”

Remembering his experiences in the wilderness, Xu Changqing inexplicably felt a chill.

If he hadn’t reached the Spirit Refining stage, and had not been guided by grandpa, along with some luck, he might already have lost his life by the roadside.

This made him understand deeply why the villagers of this era were unwilling to move.

“Ordinary folks indeed wouldn’t be able to, but cultivators are an exception!”

Su Lu answered, “I just hope it’s not another case of people spreading rumors erroneously…”

This wasn’t the first place Xu Changqing had been to. He’d previously found a few Taoists who were said to have some cultivation.

But after probing a bit, it turned out that most of them were charlatans. The few who had some martial prowess were even weaker than him, leaving Xu Changqing speechless.

“This one might be somewhat skilled, or he wouldn’t dare to live deep in the wilderness.”

Xu Changqing stepped into the fog-covered mountains, “Also… the legend about this old Taoist has been spreading for decades… some woodcutter claimed to have met him before. Perhaps, he truly holds the secret to immortality?”

“Whether he does or not, we’ll find out when we meet him.”

Su Lu remained silent.

There was no path on this Nameless Wilderness Mountain, but Xu Changqing was skilled in martial arts. Moving through the rocks and boulders, he advanced as if he were walking on flat ground.

Half a day quickly passed and he had not found anything. He eventually stopped beside a spring.

“Something feels off about this mountain, it’s best not to consume anything from here…” Su Lu warned.

“Yes.”

Xu Changqing put down his hand that was ready to scoop up some spring water, and instead reached for the wine pouch hanging on his waist.

Alcohol from antiquity had a low alcohol content, so it was not easy to get drunk, nor did it spoil easily. During a long journey when it was not convenient to fetch water, it was an excellent substitute.

He took a few sips of the wine. The stimulating taste made its way down his throat, warming his cold-ridden body instantly.

A moment later, Xu Changqing found a stone to sit on, preparing to eat his dry rations.

After taking a few bites of bread, he pricked up his ears to a song:

“The embodiment of virtue, follows only the Way. The Way, ethereal and elusive…”

The meaning was, virtue is determined by the Way. Yet, the “Way” itself has no fixed form.

“That’s a Taoist song!”

Xu Changqing perked up, rising to follow the voice.

Soon, he saw an old Taoist.

The man was dressed in a tattered black Taoist robe, leaning on a wooden staff as he strolled through the woods.

“Taoist, please hold on!”

Xu Changqing approached to stop the old Taoist, and got a shock.

The Taoist’s hair was half black, half white, his cheeks protruded, his teeth sparse, his facial features such as eyes, nose, and mouth were strangely mismatched, as if someone had haphazardly put them together. His bizarre appearance was indescribable.

But he only felt surprised inwardly and presented himself respectfully, “Greetings, I am Xu Changqing.”

“I am not a true cultivator… just a seeker of the Way living in the deep mountains.” The old Taoist began to speak in a gravelly, slow voice, like a weather-worn bellows, “What brought you here?”

“To seek immortality! I want to learn the Dao Method of cultivation!”

Xu Changqing affirmed resolutely.

How could he claim the blood debt of Xiaozhai Village without cultivation?

“Immortal?” The old Taoist laughed quietly, “What’s the meaning of ‘immortal’ to you?”

“This…” Unable to answer, Xu Changqing, following Su Lu’s suggestion, asked in turn, “May I ask for your guidance?”

“Those who seek immortality seek the Way!” The old Taoist said solemnly.

“Then, what is the ‘Way’?”

“The Way appears nebulous and elusive, harboring forms within its ethereal nature and substances within its elusive façade. While shadowy and indistinguishable, it bears within an essence, a truth that exudes trust. Throughout the ages, its name has endured, allowing it to witness all beginnings…”

The old Taoist began to recite in a long chant, “Our journey in pursuing the Way is fragile, negligible, and ignorant… how can we approach the ‘Way’? Only by seeking the ‘External Elixir’! I notice you bear some strength… enough to aid me in refining the ‘External Elixir’. Would you be willing to help me?”

“I would!”

Without hesitation, Xu Changqing affirmed.

“Good!” The old Taoist stroked his sparse beard and laughed, “On the day the Elixir is complete, I will certainly reward you with one to help you approach the Way.”

…

“Grandpa…”

Following behind the old Taoist and recalling his smile, Xu Changqing felt the old man’s face was somewhat blurred.

In his heart, he questioned, “Is this man a true cultivator?”

“Who told you he is a man?”

Su Lu counter questioned.

“He’s not human?!”

Xu Changqing’s hair stood on end. He felt an inexplicable fear of what might’ve been hidden beneath the old Taoist’s torn robe.

“Mr. Xu?”

Gauging the situation, the old Taoist turned back, “What’s the matter?”

“No… nothing.”

Xu Changqing answered, straining to keep his voice steady. As dusk fell, he felt an increasing aura of terror around the old Taoist.

…

The old Taoist lived in a straw hut in the Nameless Wilderness Mountain.

He brought Xu Changqing to the front of his straw hut and called out, “Qingfeng, Mingyue!”

Two young Taoists walked out from inside the hut, addressing the old man as their master.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The two of them had rosy lips and white teeth, with a cinnabar mole between their eyebrows. Their naive and bright smiles relaxed Xu Changqing considerably.

The old Taoist then led him to an Alchemy Furnace, saying, “I intend to refine an ‘External Elixir’. I’m short of some herbs and there’s physical labor involved with setting up the furnace. Seeing your strength…”

“Please don’t worry, master. I will handle the work of preparing the firewood and charcoal,” Xu Changqing stated with a thump on his chest.