Chapter 182: Chapter 181: Touring Zhenwu Mountain

"So many people!"

The three of them stared wordlessly at the dense crowd of people lined up at the entrance to the Zhenwu Mountain scenic area.

"We deliberately chose the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. How are there still so many people?" Xiao Ya stuck out her tongue. "It wasn’t this crowded last time we came!"

Jiang Shishi retorted, "That’s because we came during the off-season last time, not during the New Year holiday."

Gu Zhao scratched his head. "I figured it would be more crowded than usual, but I didn’t expect this many people. I didn’t see Zhenwu Mountain on any of the news reports about packed tourist spots, did I?"

"Who goes mountain climbing in the dead of winter?" Gu Zhao lamented, only to be met with a circle of astonished gazes from those around them.

"This isn’t so bad," an older woman behind them chimed in. "We climbed Huang Mountain during the National Day holiday last year. Now *that* was crowded—not an inch of space to spare. This line isn’t too long. I’d say we’ll be inside in about half an hour."

As expected of a well-traveled aunty, she was right on the money. Half an hour later, Gu Zhao and his companions got their tickets checked, boarded the scenic area’s shuttle bus, and began their mountain tour.

"Tsk tsk, no wonder Zhenwu Mountain is more famous than Qingcheng Mountain. The ancient Daoist architectural complex alone far surpasses anything on Qingcheng Mountain," Gu Zhao remarked as they walked.

Xiao Ya added, "Not only is it larger, but most of them are genuinely ancient buildings, not modern reconstructions."

At this, Jiang Shishi laughed. "Like the Supreme Lord Pavilion on Qingcheng Mountain?"

The three of them laughed. The Taihe Palace on Zhenwu Mountain’s Golden Summit was built by imperial decree during the Ming Dynasty’s Yongle era, while the Supreme Lord Pavilion atop Qingcheng Mountain was only constructed in the 1990s. Not only was it new, but it wasn’t very large either.

"That’s why the entrance fee for Zhenwu Mountain is more expensive than Qingcheng Mountain," Xiao Ya said with a smile.

The trio continued their ascent, passing by the ruins of several ancient buildings—nothing more than crumbling walls—such as Huilong Temple, the Supreme Lord Hall, and the Guan Emperor Temple.

Back then, transportation was difficult. Unless a project had imperial backing, most buildings were constructed at the foot or on the slopes of a mountain; it was rare to build directly on the summit.

Qingcheng Mountain was the most obvious example. Both the Celestial Master Cave and the Quanzhen Temple were located halfway up the mountain.

Then again, ancient society was strictly class-based. The palaces and temples built on the summits weren’t actually open to commoners. Take the Purple Cloud Palace on Zhenwu Mountain, for example. Ordinary people could only worship and offer incense in the Ten Directions Hall; they couldn’t get anywhere near the main Purple Cloud Hall in the back.

When he thought about it, Gu Zhao’s Daluo Palace was actually much more progressive. Ordinary worshippers could go directly to the main Three Pristine Hall to pay their respects.

Of course, the Three Pristine Divine Statues inside the Three Pristine Hall also received the most incense offerings.

Zhenwu Mountain was immense, and neither Xiao Ya nor Jiang Shishi had any cultivation. After looking around the area for a bit, they boarded the shuttle bus again and rumbled their way to the Purple Cloud Palace.

In modern times, of course, visitors could go to the Purple Cloud Hall to worship.

They crossed the Jinshui Bridge, visited the Dragon and Tiger Hall, passed through the Ten Directions Hall, and entered the Purple Cloud Hall.

The peeling, mottled red walls revealing the layers beneath; the green bricks with moss and weeds sprouting from their cracks; the stone carvings with their edges worn smooth; the slightly faded bucket arches—all of it highlighted the profound sense of history that the Purple Cloud Palace had accumulated over centuries.

Tourists offered incense and prayers, children played in the courtyards, incense smoke lingered within the palace, and koi fish swam playfully in the ponds.

Gu Zhao led the two women on a full tour of the Purple Cloud Palace, inside and out. Although they saw many Daoists, he didn’t find a single practitioner of the True Dao who had developed Inner Breath.

Gu Zhao wasn’t concerned, however, and they continued on their way to Nanyan Palace.

"Whoa, look at all these hotels!" It was Gu Zhao’s first time seeing so many hotels inside a scenic area, and they were bustling with people coming and going. "Are there really that many people staying here?"

"They’re for spiritual cultivation retreats," Jiang Shishi explained. "You stay on the mountain for a few days to purify yourself. You practice boxing and chant scriptures in the morning, attend classes and copy scriptures in the afternoon, go to bed early at night, and eat vegetarian meals every day."

Without a word, Xiao Ya took out her phone and showed it to Gu Zhao. He saw that many platforms were offering similar programs. The official one cost six thousand yuan for three days and three nights.

The itinerary was packed, covering a wide range of content: from wellness culture and dietary conditioning to intangible cultural heritage crafts and Tai Chi instruction, as well as classical studies, incense lore, and the Tea Dao.

"Fancy," Gu Zhao commented. "It’s all good stuff, just a bit pricey."

"But at least this is genuine wellness backed by real theory. It’s much better than those who spend a fortune on spiritual retreats in Ah San or Siam," Xiao Ya said with a laugh. "Back in the day, that was the most popular trend among the middle class in big cities—going there for spiritual cultivation."

Jiang Shishi sneered, "Nouveau riche. They act superior but are insecure, every one of them spiritually empty. So they go off to ’liberate their true nature’ and end up either brainwashed or losing their virginity."

Gu Zhao shook his head. "They just have too much money to burn."

The group moved on to Nanyan Palace, where they viewed Lü Zu’s Sword and the Dragon Head Incense. Gu Zhao looked around but still found nothing.

From Nanyan Palace to Zhenwu Mountain’s Golden Summit, the rest of the way had to be covered on foot.

The three of them walked across Crow Ridge, passed Chaotian Palace, went through the Three Celestial Gates, and finally reached the Taihe Palace on the Golden Summit.

To Gu Zhao’s surprise, he didn’t find any Daoists with Inner Breath True Qi in the Taihe Palace either.

’What’s going on? That can’t be right.’

Gu Zhao was genuinely curious now. Even if Zhenwu Mountain had a strong commercial atmosphere, surely it wouldn’t be completely devoid of practitioners of the True Dao?

Besides, Inner Breath True Qi wasn’t a secret among the upper echelons of the Taoist Sect. White Cloud Temple, the Eight Immortals Palace, Qingcheng Mountain, and Dragon Tiger Heavenly Mountain all had practitioners of the True Dao. As the current public face of the Taoist Sect, how could Zhenwu Mountain be completely in the dark? How could it not have a single one?

What about those Daoists who were always appearing in short videos? The one with unparalleled Lightweight Skill, the one with profound Inner Power, and that incredibly formidable old master—where were they?

"Hm?"

As this thought crossed his mind, Gu Zhao glanced around. All he saw were ordinary Daoists. Then, a realization struck him.

’It’s only normal that I can’t find them. It would be abnormally lucky if I could.’

Take his first meeting with Taoist Yan Song, for example. That had been pure, unadulterated luck. Old Daoists like him, who had developed Inner Breath True Qi, wouldn’t be working in the tourist-facing Taoist Temples at all; they were all in seclusion, cultivating in the back mountains.

But Taoist Yan Song had a lively personality and enjoyed the hustle and bustle. He was watching dramas and striking his chime stone in the Supreme Lord Pavilion, which was how Gu Zhao had chanced upon him.

After that, Taoist Yi Hong had sought him out after he revealed a bit of his Talismanic Technique. He met Yunyang through Taoist Yi Hong’s introduction. He had gone with Yunyang to the Celestial Master’s Mansion to formally visit Taoist Ming Yu. And as for Taoist Jing Feng, he had stumbled upon him by chance in a village.

All these old Daoists usually cultivated in quiet, remote places. If they didn’t actively circulate their Magical Power, he couldn’t sense them. And if they were too far away, their auras wouldn’t be apparent, and his Five Thunders Order wouldn’t react either.

’Unless I unleash my Divine Sense and use my five hundred years of profound Dao Practice to envelop the entire Zhenwu Mountain, sweeping it with my consciousness, maybe then I could find those Daoists who possess Magical Power.’

’It would certainly be efficient, but it would also be a bit... arrogant...’