Chapter 357: Chapter 356: The Inheritors of the 3 Thunder Technique Sects Are Gathered
"Too much sex when he was younger. Now he’s drained," Gu Zhao said with a curl of his lip.
"Unless he takes Daluo Palace’s Mountain Ginseng Rehmannia Pills, ordinary tonics won’t be able to save him," Taoist Yu Zhang said, shaking his head.
Gu Zhao and Taoist Yu Zhang were just chatting casually and had no intention of helping the man. Their steps light, they swept past them and continued up the mountain.
...
On Feiyun Mountain, behind Xuansu Palace.
Taoist Yu Hua, Taoist Ling Ya, and Taoist Chong Xuan sat in a pavilion, a mixture of nervousness and anticipation on their faces.
Taoist Chong Xuan glanced at the sky and poured a cup of tea for both Taoist Yu Hua and Taoist Ling Ya. "The rumors are running rampant. To think we’d get to see the truth for ourselves today."
Taoist Ling Ya raised his cup and took a small sip, feeling both curious and wistful. "This so-called Spiritual Qi Revival is supposed to be baseless talk, yet I wonder how our fellow Daoists managed it."
Taoist Yu Hua tugged at his beard. "Whenever I tried calling my Senior Brother these days, the call almost never went through. If he wasn’t in some deep mountain forest with no signal, then the only other possibility is that he was somewhere he couldn’t bring his phone."
Taoist Chong Xuan chuckled. "Why worry so much about it? We’ll find out soon enough anyway."
Taoist Yu Hua was Taoist Yu Zhang’s junior brother, Taoist Ling Ya was an elder of this generation’s Purple Sun Sect, and Taoist Chong Xuan was an heir of the Shenxiao Sect.
Yesterday, Taoist Yu Hua had received a call from Taoist Yu Zhang, who told him to invite Taoist Ling Ya and Taoist Chong Xuan to wait this morning at the spot behind Xuansu Palace where the martial brothers often drank tea.
The moment Taoist Yu Hua heard this, he knew his lucky break had arrived.
Although the old Daoists were advanced in age, they weren’t blind and deaf. Even Taoist Yan Song used his phone to watch short-form dramas. Aside from the True Ascetics, the other old Daoists were just as adept with smartphones.
They could see all the same information that netizens could.
And they had their own speculations about the truths that netizens couldn’t grasp.
Moreover, they were all respected elders of their sects. After decades of cultivation, they had come to know many people. By contacting one another, they could naturally find out a great deal.
For example, when Gu Zhao went up Lao Mountain, several old Daoists had their suspicions. Not to mention, Feiyun Mountain had Taoist Yu Zhang.
These past few days, Taoist Yu Hua had been wearing the Golden Gang Bracelet and drinking the Spirit Medicine Wine his Senior Brother had given him. If he were still completely clueless about everything, he never would have been able to cultivate Taoist True Qi and master the Celestial Pig Spell.
Although Taoist Yu Zhang hadn’t told him anything specific, all Taoist Yu Hua needed to know was that many old Daoists had obtained Extraordinary opportunities and cultivated Extraordinary Magical Power, and that the number of such Daoists seemed to be growing. That was enough.
Of course, Taoist Yu Zhang’s disappearance and Taoist Yu Hua’s unusual changes couldn’t escape the notice of Taoist Ling Ya and Taoist Chong Xuan, who lived on the same mountain and gathered together from time to time.
So, when Taoist Yu Hua invited them to meet this morning and mentioned that Taoist Yu Zhang would be there, they naturally knew that their own opportunity had arrived.
Just then, the three felt a jolt in their hearts. They all turned their heads at the same time to see Taoist Yu Zhang walking side-by-side with a young man. They passed through the arched gateway of the rear courtyard and appeared in the small courtyard behind Xuansu Palace.
"Senior Brother." Taoist Yu Hua stood up.
"Brother Yu Zhang." Taoist Ling Ya and Taoist Chong Xuan also rose, their gazes shifting from Taoist Yu Zhang to Gu Zhao. They hadn’t forgotten the young man in the photos from the airplane malfunction incident.
"Greetings, my two brothers!" Taoist Yu Zhang was all smiles as he strode over and helped Taoist Ling Ya sit down.
Taoist Chong Xuan was around his age, but Taoist Ling Ya was nearly a generation older, only a few years younger than Taoist Shen Hao. If he were to join Daluo Palace, he could basically compete with Taoist Yan Ling for the number two spot.
After helping Taoist Ling Ya sit, Taoist Yu Zhang began the introductions for Gu Zhao.
"This is Taoist Ling Ya of the Purple Sun Sect. He cultivates the *Enlightenment Chapter* and the *Jinhua Secret Text Refining Pill Technique*. He has merged the North-South Elixir Dao and is a great Daoist of the Inner Alchemy Lineage."
The three old Daoists took note of Taoist Yu Zhang’s respectful demeanor. Taoist Ling Ya started to rise again, but Gu Zhao gently held him down. "There will be plenty of time for that later. It is a pleasure to meet you, Daoist."
"Brother Yu Zhang is too kind. I have merely lived a few more years; I dare not accept the title of ’great Daoist’."
"This is Brother Chong Xuan of the Shenxiao Sect. He cultivates the Shenxiao Thunder Skill and, along with Taoist Gao Yue of Zhenwu Mountain’s Qingwei Sect, they shine brightly together," Taoist Yu Zhang said with a smile.
Taoist Chong Xuan said humbly, "I have visited Brother Gao Yue on Zhenwu Mountain before. I hold him in high esteem."
Gu Zhao smiled. "In the future, you can discuss Thunder Techniques more with Martial Uncle Gao Yue. Add me, the unaffiliated heir of the Celestial Heart Sect, and we’ll have all three great Thunder Technique sects accounted for."
Within Celestial Xia Daoism, the three most famous Thunder Skill sects were the Celestial Heart Sect, the Qingwei Sect, and the Shenxiao Sect. The Celestial Heart Sect was the oldest, while the Qingwei and Shenxiao Sects were the most renowned.
Taoist Chong Xuan’s eyes gleamed, his face wreathed in a broad smile.
"And this is my junior brother," Taoist Yu Zhang said, introducing Taoist Yu Hua last. "Like me, he cultivates the Northern Emperor Technique."
Gu Zhao greeted him with a smile. "The Celestial Pig Great Curse is immensely powerful."
Following his Senior Brother’s example, Taoist Yu Hua bowed respectfully.
Gu Zhao looked at the three old Daoists with their white hair and beards, feeling the Thunder Seed jump for joy in his Sea of Consciousness. He was very satisfied.
’The Northern Emperor Sect and the Shenxiao Sect are the main forces for Exorcising Demons and Evil Spirits. Add to that an old Daoist who has merged the North-South Elixir Dao and possesses profound Magical Power... these new recruits are all heavy hitters!’
Gu Zhao wasted no time on pleasantries. With a point of his finger, he sent the Thunder Seed into the Sea of Consciousness of each of the three old Daoists.
HUMMM—
...
HUFF! HUFF! HUFF!
The slightly overweight middle-aged man, supported by the young woman, soon arrived at Xuansu Palace. However, he didn’t follow the crowd to burn incense, pray for blessings, ask for fortune sticks, or have his fortune told in the various halls. Instead, he specifically sought out secluded areas, even poking his head into courtyards marked "No Entry for Tourists."
Suddenly, he seemed to feel a gentle breeze brush his face, making it easier for him to breathe.
The man’s eyes lit up. He pulled the young woman into the small courtyard, crossed it, and entered a deeper rear courtyard. There, he saw three old Daoists sitting with their eyes closed, along with one Daoist and one layman who looked somewhat familiar.
Then, the three old Daoists opened their eyes one by one. The man thought he saw flashes of lightning sparkle in the eyes of the Daoist on the left!
"I found them!"
The man cheered under his breath and pulled the woman over. He introduced himself with an air of self-importance, "Greetings, Daoists! My name is Fang Yaohui. I’m an investor with XX International Fund and a director of Lu City’s XX Group."
The old Daoists all looked at him.
Looking at the amiable-faced, simply dressed old Daoists, the man wore a condescendingly polite smile. "I’ve been feeling a bit unwell lately. If you can help cure me, I’m willing to donate one million to the Taoist Temple."
The old Daoists: "..."
Normally, when faced with such a person, the old Daoists would simply pretend they didn’t see or hear him and pay him no mind at all.
Seeing the old Daoists remain noncommittal, Fang Yaohui upped the ante. "I have some pull in both Huaqi and Mi Qi. If any of you Daoists have family who want to go abroad, I can help with that. After all, things are relatively freer overseas, so you don’t have to deal with the domestic system."
Gu Zhao laughed upon hearing this. "To meet twice is a kind of fate. I’ll give you a chance."
"What?" The man shifted his gaze to Gu Zhao.
Gu Zhao picked up the teapot from the table, took a clean cup, and poured a cup of tea. He said to the man, "Finishing too quickly is indeed infuriating."
The man was startled, then a mix of shock, anger, joy, and anticipation washed over him. "You..."
"This tea can solve your problem." Gu Zhao pointed to the cup on the table, which was filled with clear tea that shimmered with a faint glow. "But there are a few things to keep in mind."
"What things?" the man asked hurriedly.
"Traditional Chinese medicine has its contraindications after taking a remedy, and Spirit Medicine is no different," Gu Zhao said with a slight smile. "After drinking this tea, it will slowly improve your constitution, allowing you to ’exercise’ until dawn even when you’re eighty."
The man’s eyes lit up. Then he heard Gu Zhao continue, "But improving your constitution is a process. If this process is interrupted, the backlash will be even more severe."
"What do you mean?" the man asked, confused.
Gu Zhao held up three fingers. "After drinking this tea, you must not ’exercise’ for three years. After three years, I can guarantee you’ll be fine until you’re eighty. But if you break this rule within the three years, you’ll be powerless from then on."
"Huh?" The man was stunned.
"Of course, all things follow the law of conservation. After you break the rule, the first woman you’re with will absorb the Spiritual Power from this tea, gaining eternal youth and ageless beauty," Gu Zhao said, wearing the same polite smile.
"Huh?" The young woman’s eyes lit up.
"As for whether you drink this tea or not, the choice is yours," Gu Zhao said nonchalantly, pushing the cup to the edge of the table.
The man was dumbfounded, but he quickly recovered. "Is there any faster medicine? I’ll pay more!"
"Three days! Shorten the abstinence period to three days, and I’ll give you three... no, five million!" the man said with a slight air of superiority. "Five million is enough to buy an apartment in a first-tier city!"
Gu Zhao stood up and coaxed him patiently, "You’re only in your early forties, right? Think about it. Just sacrifice three years, and you can enjoy the next thirty. It’s a great deal."
"But..."
Before the man could continue, Gu Zhao turned to the old Daoists. "I’ve never been to Feiyun Mountain before. Perhaps you Martial Uncles would show me around?"
"Of course!" The three old Daoists immediately stood up.
Then, before the man’s astonished eyes, Gu Zhao and the four old Daoists simply took one step backward and vanished completely, leaving him no chance to even try and stop them.
And then, all that remained in the courtyard pavilion was a middle-aged man with a conflicted expression and a young woman whose eyes were filled with eager encouragement.
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