Chapter 213: Chapter 212: A "Miracle" Appears at the Qingming Ritual

Many of the senior Daoists had already descended the mountain, and the Qingming Festival was still a few days away.

Gu Zhao wasn’t in a hurry to return to the modern era. He first took Zhuo Qingyan and the Silk Embroideress on a tour of the area around Changping Prefecture. Only then did he return to Daluo Palace, cross back to the present day, and get to work.

During this break, Xiao Ya and Jiang Shishi both had touring performances and couldn’t accompany him. So, for once, Gu Zhao set out alone.

...

A steady drizzle fell on Qingming Day. Braving the fine, misty rain, Gu Zhao finally arrived at Sanmao Mountain.

Sanmao Mountain, originally home to the Sanmao True Monarchs, now houses three great palace-temples.

Wanfu Palace, Wanning Palace, and Wanshou Palace.

A Qingming ritual was scheduled for today, so despite the rain, the path was still filled with tourists and Daoists holding devotional incense, beginning their worship at the mountain gate.

Gu Zhao, just another tourist, followed the crowd through the Gate of All Wonders and soon arrived at Wanshou Palace, which was situated at the foot of the mountain.

The original Wanshou Palace had been submerged under a reservoir. This one was a new construction just east of the original site, open for less than a decade and even newer than the Supreme Lord Pavilion on Qingcheng Mountain.

But a new temple didn’t mean new people. After all, he had met Taoist Yan Song at the Supreme Lord Pavilion. So, Gu Zhao wasn’t worried and began to leisurely tour the grounds.

Gu Zhao made a circuit of Wanshou Palace but found nothing.

He then continued up the mountain to Wanning Palace, but again found nothing.

Drawing on his experience at Zhenwu Mountain, Gu Zhao wasn’t surprised at all. He made his way to Wanfu Palace at the summit just before the time announced for the ritual.

This was an ancient temple. Although it had undergone modern restoration, like the Purple Cloud Hall on Zhenwu Mountain, its main structure was still a centuries-old building that exuded a profound sense of history.

When Gu Zhao reached the entrance of Wanfu Palace, he saw that preparations for the Qingming ritual were complete. Dozens of Daoists in Magical Robes stood solemnly in the plaza before the temple, braving the light rain.

Hundreds, perhaps even a thousand, tourists and worshipers had gathered around them. Some were truly devout, while others treated it as a tourist attraction’s performance. There were also a few streamers holding up their phones, broadcasting live.

Gu Zhao blended into the crowd of tourists and took a stroll behind the streamers, shaking his head with a sigh.

’It’s not easy being a streamer these days. The top ones might make tens of millions, but it’s actually very hard for the small-timers to earn anything.’

’Of the few I just saw, the one with the most viewers was a travel streamer, and his triple-digit audience count was already quite impressive. But the one with the fewest viewers had an online count of zero!’

’Watching him talk so earnestly to a live audience of zero, Gu Zhao couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for the guy.’

Just then, Gu Zhao overheard a conversation among the tourists next to him.

"It’s almost ten o’clock! The show’s about to start!" one person said.

"It’s not a show. This is a formal Daoist ritual," someone corrected.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m just here for the music," the first person said, nodding dismissively. "The Shangqing Sect’s music is pretty catchy."

Another person chimed in, "I’m here to see the Daoist Magical Robes. Do you think if I put one on when I head down the mountain later, people will ask for a photo with me?"

Everyone turned to look and saw he was carrying a rather large bundle.

"Why don’t you just put it on and blend in with them?" someone asked.

"I thought about it, but then I figured it wouldn’t be right," the man replied.

"Holy crap! Of course it’s not right! You need to be more respectful," a more knowledgeable person warned. "Last time, a real True Daoist got chewed out for just walking around town in his Magical Robe after a ceremony."

"Alright, I get it, you’re the expert. It’s not like I actually put it on, is it?" the man said impatiently.

"No matter how approachable Daoism seems, it’s still a religion. You can’t be so dismissive," a middle-aged man nearby advised kindly. "You have to show a basic level of respect."

"Give me a break. Religion is just feudal superstition. The only thing the state recognizes is Daoist music; the rest is just trash," the young man who was there for the music said with a sneer. "What’s this ceremony? It’s just a bunch of shamanistic dancing, isn’t it?"

The other young people with him laughed. Though some in the surrounding crowd looked at them with disapproval, no one said anything.

Gu Zhao was standing right beside them. Hearing this, he turned to face them. "The Qingming ritual is for mourning the dead, praying for blessings, and warding off disaster. It’s a way to remember our predecessors and ancestors, showing that we haven’t forgotten history. It’s also an expression of our hopes for a better life and anticipation for the future."

"If you call this ’shamanistic dancing,’ then you might as well say honoring your ancestors, making a birthday wish, or confessing your love to your crush are all shamanistic dancing too."

The smiles vanished from the young men’s faces and reappeared on the faces of the tourists watching nearby.

"The hell? You son of a...!"

The young man started to swing a punch at Gu Zhao, but then he met Gu Zhao’s gaze.

BOOM!

He felt a clap of thunder explode inside his head, and his mind went completely blank. When he came to his senses, Gu Zhao was gone.

"What happened to you just now?"

"I was about to jump in with you. Why’d you suddenly freeze up?"

"You let that punk get away."

"I saw him head toward the front. Should we go after him?"

The young man stood rooted to the spot, his mind replaying the Thunderbolt he had subconsciously witnessed and the indifferent, yet supremely majestic, gaze he had met.

"Go after him? Go after my ass!" the young man suddenly cursed, startling his friends.

The next moment, his gaze toward Wanfu Palace and the Daoists turned fervent and devout. "Everybody quiet down! The Qingming ritual is starting! Don’t disturb the Masters while they’re performing the technique!"

Everyone: ???

...

Meanwhile, Gu Zhao had already made his way to the front of the plaza, where he saw the Sanmao Mountain Mages who were presiding over the ceremony.

The Five Thunders Order began to pulse rhythmically, and a smile spread across Gu Zhao’s face.

He then blended back into the crowd of tourists, watching as the Daoists of the Shangqing Sect recited scriptures, chanted spells, formed hand seals, paced in ritual patterns, lit lamps in worship, and presented petitions for blessings.

However, as the ceremony entered its final stage, Gu Zhao slipped out of the crowd and moved to a relatively secluded area to the side of Wanfu Palace.

He looked up at the gloomy sky and held out his hand, feeling the fine drizzle that was still falling. With his Divine Thought, Gu Zhao monitored the progress of the ritual in the plaza.

The very instant the ritual concluded...

"By faith in Kuigang, let virtue reach the four corners! Cease now, cease now! Disperse and be gone!"

As Gu Zhao chanted the spell to disperse clouds, rain, wind, and thunder, a surge of immense Magical Power shot into the heavens and vanished into the thick cloud cover.

The next moment, the tourists and worshipers in front of Wanfu Palace felt their surroundings suddenly brighten.

The fine drizzle vanished in an instant, and the dim sky brightened. Everyone looked up to see the gloomy clouds gradually parting as rays of sunlight streamed down. The light struck the roof of Wanfu Palace, reflecting in brilliant golden beams.

A rainbow arched across the sky. The low, dark clouds had transformed into high, puffy White Clouds. Several of these clouds even seemed to take on the form of Immortal Cranes, as if a flock of White Cranes were gracing the heavens.

"Whoa!"

"It’s beautiful!"

"The forecast called for rain for the next few days. How did it suddenly clear up?"

"Holy crap, those White Clouds look just like Immortal Cranes! Purple Qi from the East and auspicious cranes... holy moly, it’s a miracle!"

"It’s just like the Buddha’s Halo at Meishan in Shu Province!"

"Hahaha, exactly! And that South Celestial Gate cloud formation in Lu Province!"

"Quick, take pictures! Take pictures! They’ll be gone in a minute!"

The average person didn’t think too much of it, merely seeing the scene as a huge coincidence. They all took out their phones to take photos and videos, capturing the rare moment.

Only the young man who had been stunned by Gu Zhao stared at the clouds, then at the Masters who had just completed the ritual. His eyes filled with the terror of one who has just glimpsed the true nature of the world, and he began to tremble uncontrollably.

Among the Daoists who had just finished the ceremony, several of varying ages, all clad in Magical Robes, first looked up at the "coincidental" rainbow and auspicious clouds. Then, as one, they all turned their gaze toward a corner of Wanfu Palace.