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 using magical tools to manipulate the clouds. Altering the celestial landscape is no easy feat, and the Gengchen Immortal 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 to surge upwards, resulting in this ethereal fog. The plants known as Lingcao bathed in the mist, releasing a refreshing fragrance. Those immersed in the mist could feel their pores opening, creating a light, fluttering sensation.
Liao Tingyan had been at the estate for several days, struggling with her practice. However, after bathing in this spiritual mist, she was pleasantly surprised to find her body instinctively absorbing 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, a candidate for service, she needed to meet the head of the estate—a highly 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 distributed to all hundred female disciples.
Liao Tingyan wondered if the dress was meant for a funeral, a wedding, or perhaps a way to signify that they were all virgins, ready to be consumed by the big bad wolf. She could go along with it because she had no choice, but her mind was her own. This was the only place where she felt safe to share her thoughts—with herself.
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Finally, her master sent her to the assembly. The hall where Liao Tingyan arrived was the most magnificent she had ever seen. The high dome was intricately carved with countless reliefs of celestial figures, adorned with colorful treasures and painted in dazzling hues. Several tall golden lanterns, shaped like lotus flowers, stood beside jade pillars featuring cloud patterns. The hard, reflective floor mirrored the bright lights in the temple, creating an illusion of another world.
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 above. The main leader was not present; instead, a clone projection was in use.
[Wa, 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 Monarch Daojun Zizang arrives, you will be taken to the Three Sacred Mountains. Upon entering, your task will be to charm him and gather information about Daojun Zizang. If you succeed, the rewards will be far 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, thinking 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 kind elders who spoke about a nurturing environment, yet the undertones in the palace head's words felt foreboding.
Unfortunately, she felt too afraid to back out now. The head of the palace finished the briefing and led the group out of the hall toward the Three Sacred Mountains.
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Her sleeves fluttered impressively, instantly transporting the palace's head and a hundred people a hundred miles away in an instant. Liao Tingyan briefly felt darkness surround her before she opened her eyes to a completely different location.
[This is the Three Sacred Mountains?]
Beside her, she wasn’t sure if it was her senior sister or an uncle, but they both stared at the mountain with palpable excitement. This only heightened Liao Tingyan's nerves, and she feared she might faint from anxiety.
The Three Sacred Mountains before them were renowned as the most unique, meaningful, and mysterious spiritual mountains within the Gengchen Immortal. They were said to be even 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 them before achieving divinity.
However, the entire range of the Three Sacred Mountains had been closed for five hundred years due to the retreat of Grandmaster Daojun Zizang, which had prevented 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, all wearing eager expressions. They stood in an orderly fashion, waiting patiently, their fervor evident.
In the sky above them, the top powers of Gengchen Immortal, along with the palace masters, waited 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 thought 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 Mountains, 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.
"Damn, it's bleeding." Liao Tingyan exclaimed,
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 a group of 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 palace head was kneeling, others felt compelled to follow suit. Although they didn't know why he seemed to be enraged, many quickly knelt around him, calling out for the master to calm his anger.
The collective shouts reverberated throughout the entire country. However, amidst the noise, everyone distinctly heard a sneer filled with disdain and hostility.
"When I come out, you will all die."
It seemed that the ancestor from the Three Sacred Mountains had spoken.
[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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