Offering Salted Fish to Master - C3
Chapter 3
The One Hundred
Early in the morning, Liao Tingyan witnessed a breathtaking display of colorful clouds in the eastern sky. However, this stunning scene was not a natural phenomenon; it was the result of the disciples at Gengchen Immortal Mansion using magical tools to manipulate the clouds. Changing the heavenly appearance is no easy feat, and the Gengchen Immortal Mansion demonstrated remarkable generosity by sending numerous disciples to create visual effects that enhanced the atmosphere.
Occasionally, magnificent cranes and beautiful birds flew by, each transporting guests and disciples who had come to watch the ceremony. In the air, a cloud-like mist formed from condensed spiritual energy. The elders had opened the spiritual energy veins, allowing the essence beneath Gengchen Immortal Mansion to surge upwards, resulting in this ethereal fog. The plants known as Lingcao, bathing in the mist, released a refreshing fragrance. Those immersed in the mist could feel their pores opening, creating a light, fluttering sensation.
Liao Tingyan had been at the mansion for several days and had struggled with her practice. However, after bathing in this spiritual mist, she was pleasantly surprised to find that her body instinctively began to absorb the gentle auras. She felt warmth throughout her body, and her thoughts became clearer. For the first time, she experienced the thrill of cultivation.
Unfortunately, she couldn't indulge in this practice all the time. As a red flag bearer, or rather, as a candidate for service, she needed to meet the leader—an esteemed figure—before proceeding to Sansheng Mountain to pay her respects.
Unlike her fellow disciples, Liao Tingyan did not wear the traditional Qinggutian uniform of Tsing Yi; instead, she donned a white dress that was distributed among all one hundred female disciples.
Liao Tingyan wondered if it was a funeral, a wedding, or perhaps a way to show everyone that they were all virgins, ready to be consumed by the big bad wolf. Ha! Ha! She could go along with it because she had no choice, but her mind was her own, and this was the only place where she felt safe to share her thoughts—within herself.
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Like Liao Tingyan, others were also awestruck by the grandeur of their surroundings, but they quickly subdued their expressions and stood still in the center of the hall. Several hazy figures appeared on the glass lotus seat elevated high in the hall. The main leader was not present; instead, a clone projection was in use.
Liao Tingyan thought to herself, "Wow. This video conferencing is quite effective."
The mysterious leader at the center spoke in a loud and solemn voice, "You are here because I have something important to tell you. Once I step through this door, I will no longer be able to speak to anyone else."
"Once Daojun Zizang arrives, you will be taken to the Three Sacred Mountains. Upon entering, your task will be to do your utmost to charm and gather information on Daojun Zizang. If you succeed, the rewards will be much greater than previously mentioned, offering you a thousand times more benefits. Your family will gain immense honor, and you will be required to report all details about Daojun Zizang."
Liao Tingyan blinked several times and thought to herself, “This doesn’t sound right.”
"Mr. Zizang is not very approachable. You must serve him with all your heart and be cautious not to provoke him! Otherwise, it could lead to dire consequences!"
Liao Tingyan was becoming increasingly nervous. Where was the old, gentle, fat man? She remembered the gentle elders who spoke of a nurturing environment, yet the undertones in the leader's words felt foreboding.
Unfortunately, she felt too afraid to back out now. The leader finished the briefing and led the group out of the hall toward the Three Sacred Mountains. It was an impressive display; with a wave of her sleeves, the leader transported one hundred people a hundred miles away in the blink of an eye. Liao Tingyan felt a sensation of darkness engulfing her momentarily before she opened her eyes in a completely different place.
"This is the Three Sacred Mountains?" she wondered aloud.
She wasn't sure whether it was her senior sister or an uncle beside her, but they stared up at the mountain before them, their excitement palpable. This only heightened Liao Tingyan's nerves as she was afraid she might faint from anxiety.
The Three Sacred Mountains before them were renowned as the most unique, meaningful, and mysterious spiritual mountains within Gengchen Immortal Mansion. They were said to be more significant than Taixuan, the primary peak. According to legend, the three holy mountains earned their title because the three saints who first ascended to the heavens practiced on these mountains before achieving their divinity.
However, the entire Three Sacred Mountain range had been closed for five hundred years due to the retreat of the Daojun Zizang, preventing anyone from entering.
As she looked ahead, the Three Sacred Mountains loomed majestically, hidden in the clouds and emanating spiritual light. Turning to look back, she saw a large crowd of fellow disciples from Gengchen Immortal Mansion, all displaying eager faces. They stood in orderly fashion, waiting patiently with expressions of fervor.
In the sky above them floated the top powers of Gengchen Immortal Mansion, along with the palace masters, all waiting in silent anticipation.
The scene reminded Liao Tingyan of a military parade or the "Journey to the West" tales she had read as a child, where heavenly soldiers and generals stood among layers of clouds, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Monkey King.
This imagination made her chuckle to herself. Amid her nervousness, her mind wandered, conjuring up fanciful images.
"Om—Om—Boom—"
Under the scorching gaze of hundreds of thousands of people, a heavy bell suddenly echoed from the Three Sacred Mountain, causing the mountain to tremble. It felt as if invisible waves were radiating outward from the mountain in all directions.
Liao Tingyan moved closer, feeling disoriented. Suddenly, her nose felt hot, and blood began to flow from it.
Liao Tingyan exclaimed, "...Damn, it's bleeding."
However, she wasn't the worst off. The worst were the top leaders positioned high above them. They witnessed a blinding light flash by, and let out screams as they were thrown back, with two of them staggering near the hundred female disciples. Liao Tingyan clearly saw a middle-aged man, presumably in charge, spit out a mouthful of blood and kneel forward, shouting, "Ancestor, calm down!"
Since the leader was kneeling, others felt compelled to follow suit. Although they didn't know why he seemed to be enraged, a large number of people quickly knelt down around him, calling out for the master to calm his anger.
The collective shouts reverberated throughout the whole country. However, amidst the noise, everyone distinctly heard a sneer filled with disdain and hostility.
It seemed that the ancestor from the Three Sacred Mountain had spoken.
Liao Tingyan thought, "No, are you really sure it's the ancestor of the righteous path that's emerging and not some evil being? It seems like your ancestor is intent on killing people. Hmm. The 'kindness' of Daojun Zizang doesn't seem very 'kind' at all!"
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