Chapter 93: Chapter 92: Encountering Sinister and Foul Qi at the Penglai Grand Sacrifice

Gu Zhao looked at the young Daoist, and the young Daoist looked back at Gu Zhao.

Taoist Yi Hong raised a white eyebrow. He glanced first at Gu Zhao beside him, then at the young Daoist across from them. After carefully sensing their auras, a gratified smile spread across his face. ’Our Taoist Sect has worthy successors!’

Then, a group of Daoists from across the way came forward to greet them. "Blessed Infinite Celestial Venerable! Greetings, Taoist Yi Hong!"

"Blessed Infinite Celestial Venerable!" Taoist Yi Hong also announced his Daoist honorific and clasped his hands in greeting. "Greetings, everyone. It’s good to see you, Master Xiu Xin. Junior Brother Jing Yan from the Eight Immortals Palace has already arrived, I see."

The elderly Daoist standing before the young one stepped forward, clasping his hands in a formal greeting. "Greetings, Senior Brother Yi Hong. You’ve met Yun Fa and Yunyang before."

Taoist Yi Hong nodded, first greeting everyone from the Penglai Immortal Pavilion and introducing Zheng Ning and Sheng Lin who were with him. Then he pulled Gu Zhao over, simply explaining that he was a junior whom he had invited to observe the ceremony.

In modern society, the mystic arts were not flourishing. Most people didn’t even believe in the existence of Inner Breath True Qi, so Taoist Yi Hong wasn’t about to go around advertising it.

Gu Zhao had not received the Transmission, nor had he undergone the Precepts Crown ceremony. He didn’t even have a Daoist certificate. If Taoist Yi Hong were to claim he was a True Cultivator, there would be too much to explain.

Gu Zhao didn’t mind this. He was accompanying Taoist Yi Hong for two reasons. First, he wanted to witness an orthodox Daoism purification and offering ritual. Second, he wanted to see if the talented young man Taoist Yi Hong had mentioned was qualified to become his subordinate.

Just as Gu Zhao had expected, cultivation in the modern world was difficult. Anyone who could calm their mind enough to practice breathing exercises with True Qi and succeed in Qi Refining had to be both exceptionally talented and remarkably persistent.

With so many options available in modern society, for such a person to choose to become a Daoist, their character was most likely very pure.

That was why, of the three Daoists Gu Zhao had met in the modern world who could cultivate Magical Power, all of them had been acknowledged by the Five Thunders Order.

Meanwhile, after Taoist Yi Hong’s introduction, the others paid no mind to Gu Zhao. They simply assumed he was a nephew or some other junior relative of Taoist Yi Hong’s, tagging along for a trip.

Even Taoist Jing Yan from the Eight Immortals Palace paid Gu Zhao no attention, until Taoist Yi Hong pulled Gu Zhao over to Yunyang and said solemnly, "You young people should get to know each other."

Yunyang performed a very formal salute with clasped hands. "Greetings, Fellow Taoist Gu!"

Gu Zhao returned the salute with the Meridian Technique hand seal. "Greetings, Taoist Yunyang!"

Taoist Jing Yan was slightly taken aback and couldn’t help but look toward Taoist Yi Hong.

Seeing Taoist Yi Hong nod, he sucked in a sharp breath and stared at Gu Zhao in shock. When he noticed Gu Zhao saluting him, he hastily clasped his fists and returned the gesture, leaving the members of the Penglai Immortal Pavilion a bit stunned.

’The people from the mainland Taoist Sect are so polite!’

"This way, please!" Master Xiu Xin, head of the Penglai Immortal Pavilion, ushered the group into the Taoist Temple. "The Daoists from Yuanfa Palace won’t be here until this afternoon. Let’s return to the Immortal Pavilion for a meal."

...

After having some tea and pastries in the Penglai Immortal Pavilion and touring the grounds, Taoist Yi Hong and Taoist Jing Yan were invited to a discussion, accompanied by the other senior Daoists. This left the younger ones to their own devices.

"Fanling is pretty remote. If you want to go to the city center, it’s an hour-long subway ride," Sheng Lin explained.

"The centennial Grand Sacrifice is tomorrow. It’s not a good day to go out," said Yunyang.

Sheng Lin nodded. "In that case..."

Yunyang pulled out his phone. "Let’s play a game."

The next moment, Yunyang and Sheng Lin looked at Gu Zhao in unison. "Honor of Kings. What’s your specialty?"

Gu Zhao: ???

Gu Zhao couldn’t help but slap his forehead. Ever since he’d started traveling to the Otherworld, he hadn’t played games in a long time. Even his "Black Monkey" account was still stuck on Erlang God and hadn’t progressed. And that was to say nothing of Honor of Kings, where he always seemed to be solo-queuing into teams of idiots.

So, Gu Zhao took out his phone. "Wu Zetian, Nuwa, Mi Yue."

Yunyang went, "Oh. So you have a thing for mature women."

The corner of Gu Zhao’s mouth twitched. "Who do you play?"

Yunyang said nonchalantly, "Athena, Charlotte, Erin."

Sheng Lin chuckled and added, "He has a thing for blondes. Pretty simple taste."

Gu Zhao and Yunyang both turned to Sheng Lin. "And I suppose your taste is more refined?"

Sheng Lin held up his phone smugly. "Xiaoqiao, Daji, Angela. I’ve collected all their skins."

Yunyang: "Shameless."

Gu Zhao: "Pervert."

"AHEM!" Sheng Lin coughed twice, then asked, "So, you in or what?"

"We’re in!" Yunyang and Gu Zhao said in unison.

...

They were all young men—the oldest, Yunyang, was only in his early thirties—so it was easy for them to get along. After a few rounds of the game, their bond had already grown much stronger.

They played games until the afternoon, when the three Daoists from Yuanfa Palace finally arrived.

It had to be said, the foundation of Yuanfa Palace was not as profound as that of White Cloud Temple or the Eight Immortals Palace. None of these three Daoists had cultivated True Qi, nor did they cause any stir from the Five Thunders Order in Gu Zhao’s Sea of Consciousness.

All the Daoists were busy preparing for the centennial Grand Sacrifice the next day. Although Gu Zhao had no official role, he felt it wouldn’t be right to go out and have fun by himself. So, he stuck by Yunyang, helping out here and there and taking the opportunity to learn about the procedures of the purification and offering rituals.

’After all, I’m the Sect Leader of Daluo Palace in the Otherworld. When Daluo Palace is built, won’t I have to hold a ritual to formally open its gates?’

’I can just treat this as a dry run.’

’Huh? Wait a minute! Why should I learn all this myself?’

’I can just grab Taoist Yi Hong and Taoist Yunyang and make them work for me. They can handle the details. All I’ll have to do is take center stage, announce my honorific, and strike a pose.’

...

After a busy evening, they had dinner and went to bed early. The next day, the Penglai Grand Sacrifice began before dawn.

The Penglai Grand Sacrifice was different from the usual prayer services; it was even grander than the annual New Year’s ceremony. The entire Penglai Immortal Pavilion was draped in sacred curtains and colorful silks, wreathed in the smoke of Incense. Other than the invited guests, worshippers were not permitted to observe the ceremony.

Gu Zhao followed along on the periphery, watching the entire series of procedures: touring the temple, lighting lamps, burning incense, chanting scriptures, performing rites, and offering prayers. The whole process lasted from just after five in the morning until nine o’clock, when it finally concluded.

After it was over, the invited guests took turns offering incense and praying for blessings. Then, under the guidance of the Immortal Pavilion’s Daoists, they proceeded to the rear courtyard for breakfast.

Gu Zhao blended in with the crowd, planning to follow them and snag a free meal, but Yunyang suddenly appeared at his side. "Come on, let’s get breakfast together."

Gu Zhao pointed to the guests around them. "I’ll just go with them."

Yunyang grabbed Gu Zhao and started walking. "The food they’re getting isn’t as good as ours."

Gu Zhao thought about it for a moment, didn’t resist, and decisively followed Yunyang to another courtyard. Here, an exquisite and delicious vegetarian meal had been prepared specifically for the Daoists from White Cloud Temple, the Eight Immortals Palace, and Yuanfa Palace. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The group chatted as they ate. Taoist Xiu Xin invited them to stay for a few more days, offering to be their host and show them around Port City. Meanwhile, Yunyang was trying to convince Gu Zhao and Sheng Lin to go into the city with him that afternoon if they had time.

Just then, a Daoist led a middle-aged man to the doorway. The Daoist approached Taoist Xiu Xin. "Master, a Mr. Wang Runheng from Hengta Group says he has something to discuss with you."

At the same time, Gu Zhao, Yunyang, and Taoist Yi Hong all turned their heads to look at the middle-aged man who had entered.

Although it was almost imperceptible, he was indeed carrying a faint trace of a sinister, unclean energy.