Cyber ​​Daming

Chapter 576: Dream Broken, Seeing Zhenwu (VI)
Ever since the snow melted in spring, the mountain path in front of the Wudang Mountain Gate Archway has never been clean again.

Before the first layer of bright red blood had dried, a new layer immediately formed.

All kinds of broken Taoist instruments were thrown away by the disciples of Mount Wudang who hurried back to the mountain, and piled up into graves with unknown meanings under the green pines planted by the roadside.

The sound of bells for the salvation of heroic souls on Tianzhu Peak continues all day long, and the air is filled with the smoke of incense from the various temples.

The atmosphere of the entire sect was solemn and depressing, like the dark clouds lingering in the sky. Everywhere you looked, it was gloomy and sad.

As a result, the black and white world in Chen Qisheng's eyes became increasingly dim, and it seemed that it would soon return to darkness.

"Those bastards from Zixiao Palace are so petty. We didn't kill the person, so why are they taking it out on us?"

Zhao Yanlong was squatting on the mountain path at this moment, concentrating on wiping the blood that had invaded the cracks between the bricks and stones, cursing under his breath.

After being transferred to Tianmen Temple, sweeping the mountain roads became his and Chen Qisheng's main daily work.

Originally, they didn't need to do this kind of chores themselves, as they were handled by specialized Yellow Turban strongmen.

But for some unknown reason, the rumor that the two brothers were transferred from the Demon-Subduing Hall to the Tianmen Hall because they were afraid of death and wanted to avoid war spread like wildfire within the mountain gate.

The hostility towards them from the various halls of Wudang Mountain grew deeper and deeper, and all kinds of overt and covert sarcasm and ridicule were common.

Moreover, as the fighting at the foot of the mountain became increasingly fierce, it gradually turned into a deliberate targeting as a way to vent anger.

The Zixiao Palace, which was responsible for the internal affairs of the entire Wudang Mountain, directly issued an order, requiring the Tianmen Hall to sweep the sect's mountain road day and night to ensure that it was spotless. At the same time, all the yellow-turbaned warriors and sweeping Taoist instruments in the Tianmen Hall were taken away.

The meaning is self-evident, which is to humiliate the two "cowards" Chen Qisheng and Zhao Yanlong.

"Damn it, we used to call each other brothers and sisters, but now that I've lost my power, everyone has turned against me and humiliated me in all kinds of ways. The world is really fickle and people's hearts are no longer the same."

A corner of the rag was tangled around his finger, and he finally managed to wipe clean the blood that had dripped into the cracks in the bricks and stones.

Zhao Yanlong wiped the sweat from his forehead, turned over and sat down on the mountain path, angrily threw the rag at his feet, and turned to look at Chen Qisheng who was cleaning up the wreckage of the road equipment under a tree.

"Brother, you should take a break too. If you clean it up now, it will be full again soon."

Looking at the scattered wreckage of the weapons, Zhao Yanlong pursed his lips in pain.

"I don't know what the elders of the sect are thinking now. Can they live like this? Even though these Taoist weapons are broken, they are still worth recycling. Why are they just thrown away like this?! Even if there are supplies from those new sects, they shouldn't be wasted like this."

Zhao Yanlong complained and patted his sore waist.

Since he was transferred to Tianmen Palace, he felt that his physical strength was getting worse day by day, and the true energy contained in his foundation was also getting thinner. In just a few months, he was about to fall to the level of Sequence Nine.

Zhao Yanlong vaguely guessed the reason, but he never mentioned it to Chen Qisheng.

"Junior brother, could you please stop being so silent? At least talk to me, your senior brother."

"Go away."

Before Zhao Yanlong could finish his words, an angry roar suddenly came from the bottom of the mountain.

A group of Wudang Mountain Taoist priests, covered in a strong smell of blood, were running wildly on the mountain trail, with terrifying ferocity and murderous intent still lingering on their faces.

They are from the Demon-Subduing Hall!

Zhao Yanlong saw the patterns on the other person's Taoist robe at a glance, his heart trembled suddenly, and he hurriedly dodged to the side.

The figures passed by hurriedly, and these people didn't even bother to take a second look at Zhao Yanlong who was bowing on the side of the road.

After they went away, the blue bricks on the mountain path that had just been wiped clean were covered with eye-catching blood spots again.

Zhao Yanlong sighed quietly, but his eyes, which had just been raised, suddenly tightened, and a figure suddenly appeared in front of his junior brother.

"Do you know who was sent up the mountain just now?"

He Zhu stared at Chen Qisheng with his eyes fixed, his lips, which were covered with a layer of stubble, were extremely tight.

"It's Wu Yin! The Wu Yin who once stood shoulder to shoulder with you and faced the Black Flag Society in Suzhou Prefecture! He is dead, killed by the Black Flag Society. He will never live again!"

He Zhu took a deep breath, suppressed his inner anger, and looked at the wreckage of the weapon in Chen Qisheng's hand.

"Look at what you are doing now. Do you still know how to use a flying sword or activate a talisman? Chen Qisheng, why are you so afraid of death?"

"Brother, please don't be angry. I understand your feelings. But each palace and hall on this mountain has its own responsibilities. The responsibility of our Tianmen Hall is not to resist the enemies from the outer order. If we can take good care of the mountain gate, we are also making a contribution to the sect."

Zhao Yanlong bowed, clasped his fists, smiled apologetically, and hurried forward to smooth things over.

"Is there a place for you to talk here?!"

He Zhu glanced over, and a cold light suddenly shot out from his waving sleeves, heading straight for Zhao Yanlong's eyebrows.

Pfft!

Zhao Yanlong stood still, a streak of blood flowing from between his brows.

The tip of an extremely sharp sword was fixed just a millimeter in front of his eyebrows, and was grabbed by Chen Qisheng with his bare hands who had flashed over.

Buzz.
The sword kept trembling between the five fingers, the sharp blade cut the flesh on the palm, and the blood kept dripping along the fingers.

"you"

Zhao Yanlong, who had been through the gates of hell, was filled with mixed feelings of shock and anger. He was about to blurt out a curse but he gritted his teeth and swallowed it back into his stomach.

"My fellow disciple, we are no longer members of the Demon Subduing Hall. If you have any dissatisfaction in your heart, you can complain to the Purple Cloud Palace. But don't forget that we are still disciples of Wudang Mountain. Killing a fellow disciple without permission is a capital crime for the sect!"

He Zhu ignored Zhao Yanlong's threats and continued to stare at the silent Chen Qisheng.

"You are not Chen Qisheng."

He Zhu shook his head and said to himself, "Just hide here. The blood at the foot of the mountain won't stain you."

After saying this, the Taoist turned around and walked towards the mountain path. Dried bloodstains could be seen all over his green robe. His back looked lonely, but his spine was straight and upright, as proud as a sword.

Clang.

The flying sword with its tail flame extinguished fell to the ground, and the scarlet blood on the sword slowly seeped into the cracks in the blue bricks.

The blood on the Wudang Mountain Road still cannot be dried or wiped away.

thump.
The bell at the top of Tianzhu Peak rings day and night.

On the threshold of Tianmen Palace, Zhao Yanlong was drinking wine.

Ever since he broke his vow of abstinence from alcohol on the day Chen Qisheng returned to the mountain gate, Zhao Yanlong has been uncontrollable and cannot live without alcohol all day long.

Especially today, he felt that the wine was particularly sweet and intoxicating.

"Lü Xinzhi from Nanyan Palace died in Shu. Ning Shan from Fuzhen Temple died in Liaodong. Even Li Xiangzhao from Yuxu Palace, the most cunning bastard, was hacked to death on the beach in Fuzhou, and his body has not been found yet."

Zhao Yanlong muttered, "You idiots who don't know your own weight, you are not from the Demon Subduing Hall, why do you have to risk your life with others? Can't you just stay on the mountain? Now, all the smiling faces I can see on this mountain are dead."

Zhao Yanlong raised his pair of blurry and drunken eyes, holding high the wine glass in his hand, looking towards the dark night sky above his head where no moon could be seen.

"Lü Xinzhi, Ning Shan, Li Xiangzhao, if your souls have not yet been reincarnated, then get out now and have a drink with me!"

The wind blew across his shoulders and into the shadow of the temple behind him.

Under the mottled statue, several spirit tablets made of carved talismans are placed on the altar.

On the surface of the seal script, which was smoothed by hand, the names that Zhao Yanlong had recited were written neatly.

The incense burner in front of the spirit tablet was filled with burnt incense sticks.

"Are you here?"

With the breeze blowing on his face, Zhao Yanlong raised the bottle of wine and laughed, "Why are you in such a hurry? Drink this cup first, and I'll go light the incense for you. We have everything, we have everything!"

Without the bustle of the past, the peach blossoms on Mount Wudang are blooming exceptionally well this year.

Zhao Yanlong was drunk all night and couldn't get up, so Chen Qisheng was left alone to sweep the mountain.

The bell ringing at Tianzhu Peak finally stopped in the early morning, and the long mountain road that seemed to have no end seemed particularly quiet.

Chen Qisheng unexpectedly saw a familiar figure on the mountain path.

It’s He Zhu.

After not seeing each other for a month, the stubble on He Zhu's mouth had grown into a messy beard, and his eyes were full of fatigue.

Chen Qisheng frowned, his serious gaze fixed on his left and right sleeves.

There was no one there at this time.

"coming?"

He Zhu seemed to have been waiting here for a long time, and there was still some dew on his clothes and shoulders.

This time he no longer had the sharp edge of the past, and for the first time ever he smiled at Chen Qisheng.

"your hands?"

Chen Qisheng opened his mouth slowly, but his voice was exceptionally hoarse.

"It was lost in Damingfu a few days ago."

He Zhu looked down at the two empty sleeves, then raised his head and smiled calmly: "But it's exchanged for two lives of Wu Xu, so it's not a loss."

"The mountain path is well swept."

He Zhu leaned forward and turned his shoulders, his sleeves sweeping across the steps. "Sit down and talk."

The two sat side by side, looking at the sky that was gradually turning red in the distance, and they fell into silence at the same time.

"During this period of time, so many bodies have been sent to the mountain. You must be very tired, right?"

After a moment, He Zhu broke the silence and said softly, "You don't have to be so troublesome in the future. I have informed Zixiao Palace and they will send a group of Yellow Turban warriors to clean up."

Chen Qisheng's heart was beginning to waver, and he asked, "Is the matter down the mountain over?"

"Yeah, it's finally over."

He Zhu nodded. "Four hours ago, news came from Liaodong that Zhenlu Court was breached. The ten martial arts sects of the past have now been completely destroyed. Although some people are still on the run, the overall situation has been decided. We have won this battle of dividing the world."

"But from now on, I'm afraid there will no longer be a Demon Subduing Hall on Tianzhu Peak."

He Zhu said in a sad tone: "Of all the brothers who once fought side by side with me, now you are the only one left."

Just a few words are enough to describe the tragedy.

The bell from Tianzhu Peak had been ringing for months, and every ring marked the death of a Wudang Mountain disciple.

Is it worth doing this?

Chen Qisheng had no answer.

If we look back from the perspective of future generations, the sacrifices made at Mount Wudang were certainly not worth it. Everything they did paved the way for the new Taoist sect, and their own fate was no different from those of the destroyed Wuxu sects.

But if it’s not worth it, why does Wudang Mountain insist on getting involved?
Is the empty title of "the ancestral home of Taoism" worth exchanging the lives of so many disciples?
"I used to think your choice was wrong. You were abandoning the sect and were afraid of death. But now that I've seen so many of my fellow disciples die tragically at the foot of the mountain, I suddenly understand."

He Zhu looked at the rising sun that was about to break through the distant mountains and whispered, "Taoists like me are blessed by heaven. We awakened our sequence genes in the maze of reincarnation, cultivated our bodies, refined our true qi, and nurtured our foundation. After going through countless hardships and obstacles, we were finally able to enter the Tao. But this is only the first step in the long journey."

"Fighting for the sect is certainly commendable, but being able to survive tenaciously sometimes requires more courage than dying. Moreover, as long as there are people alive, the Zhenwu Path will not be cut off, and it is also a contribution to the sect."

He Zhu turned to look at Chen Qisheng and said with a smile: "I want to apologize for what happened that day."

"no need."

Chen Qisheng shook his head, but heard He Zhuo scolding with a smile: "What do you mean by no need? I asked you to tell Zhao Yanlong. As for you, kid, I'm lucky enough that your senior brother didn't beat you to death. Do you still want to hear me apologize to you? What are you dreaming about!"

"When he sobers up, if he knows this will happen, he will probably regret it so much that he will slap himself hard. That day you stabbed him with your flying sword, and he cursed at you for half a month after he went back."

"Zhao Yanlong is a good man. Although I don't agree with his character and behavior, it is your blessing to have such a senior brother."

He Zhuo seemed to suddenly remember something and joked, "People like him shouldn't go to Wudang Mountain. If he joins the new Taoist order, I estimate that he will at least be a fifth-rank master."

"Remember, I will persuade him to join the Shanmen again when I get back."

He Zhu looked over with a squinting eye and sneered, "You can try."

Chen Qisheng smiled slightly, and his left hand, which was originally on his knee, moved to the steps inconspicuously, gently lifting the other person's sleeve that had fallen on the steps.

"Now that the division of the world has ended, I'm afraid there won't be any more fighting within the empire in the next few decades."

He Zhu said: "Don't stay in Tianmen Hall, go somewhere else. You are born to be a Zhenwu person, don't delay yourself."

"Yeah, remember."

Chen Qisheng responded softly.

“I’m going down the mountain.”

Perhaps sensing Chen Qisheng's sudden gloomy expression, He Zhu explained with a smile: "Don't think of the sect as bad. This is Wudang Mountain. There won't be such bloody things like killing the dog after the rabbit is dead."

"The sect gave me a position as the master of a branch temple. I set a precedent in the sect by going down the mountain to establish a temple with my crippled body."

He Zhu moved his shoulders slightly, as if he wanted to pat Chen Qisheng's shoulders, but his sleeves only moved in vain.

The Taoist was stunned for a moment, a trace of self-mockery flashed across his eyes, and he said with a smile: "The place is not bad, it's in Suzhou Prefecture, with beautiful scenery and mountains, just right for people to live in. If you have the chance in the future, remember to come and see me."

"But let me make this clear. If you are still sweeping the mountain paths in the sect by then, don't blame me, your senior brother, for kicking you out."

After saying this, He Zhu seemed to have let go of the last worry in his heart. He stood up gracefully and walked down the mountain.

In the distance, the sun has risen, and red light spreads across the sky and earth.

Chen Qisheng bowed and clasped his hands towards the receding figure, but suddenly, a chill invaded his heart.

The red light faded away in an instant, and the black light of night occupied the sky. The densely packed stars made people feel cold in their hearts.

"Brother!"

"Ok?"

He Zhu turned around blankly when he heard the shouting behind him, and the figure of Chen Qisheng flying towards him was reflected in his eyes.

The world turned upside down, and murderous intent appeared immediately.

boom!
A flash of lightning brushed past Chen Qisheng's fingertips and fell down, completely submerging He Zhu's figure.

The aftermath of the explosion blew Chen Qisheng away and he fell on the mountain path.

Boom!
The silent bell on Tianzhu Peak rang again, but was instantly drowned out by the louder thunder.

"Zhang Xiji, how dare you betray me and attack Wudang?"

Thunder rumbled in the sky, but no human voice was heard.

The Taoist temples and palaces, which were already empty, were blown to pieces by the rain of thunder.

"If I don't kill you, a despicable villain, today, I will be ashamed to face the ancestors of Wudang!"

A sound like a huge bell echoed between heaven and earth, and an extremely thick sword light rose from the top of Tianzhu Peak and rushed straight towards Douniu.

The stars in the sky exploded in the sword light, turning into streaks of fire that quickly disappeared into the sky.

It was a magnificent scene like a battle between gods, but Chen Qisheng, who was standing on the mountain path, had no time to watch it.

He Zhu's body had turned into ashes and disappeared, leaving only a deep pit in its place.

Further down the mountain path, the horizon was endless, and the Maoshan Yellow Turban warriors were already rolling up like a tide.

"Junior brother, what are you still standing there for? Run away!"

Zhao Yanlong, who was awakened by the thunder, staggered over from the direction of Tianmen Hall, shouting anxiously.

Although he didn't know what had happened, the murderous intent that filled the world made him feel weak all over, and it was very difficult for him to move.

"Let's go, let's go!"

Zhao Yanlong rushed to Chen Qisheng with all his strength and reached out to grab his sleeve.

"Brother, this time, I won't run away."

Chen Qisheng grabbed Zhao Yanlong's wrist with his backhand and gently shook it off.

"What are you crazy about?"

Zhao Yanlong shouted in disbelief: "This is Wudang Mountain. No matter how powerful these invaders are, the hall masters and elders on the mountain will make them unable to return. There is no need for you to show off your strength."

"Brother, I'm not trying to be brave."

Chen Qisheng looked at the enemies surging over the mountains and plains. The true energy in his Taoist foundation surged and a faint white mist rose from his body.

"It's just that some people and things are really more important than life."

More important than life.
These words echoed in Zhao Yanlong's mind like thunder. He stared blankly at Chen Qisheng's background, the expression on his face constantly changing between shame, anger, and confusion.

For no reason, he suddenly remembered the tablets he had secretly enshrined in the temple.

Lu Xinzhi, Ning Shan, Li Xiangzhao
I remembered the breeze that night, the incense that night, and the wine.

At this moment, the emotions surging in my heart were too calm.

"I never thought that one day, you would come to teach me."

Zhao Yanlong raised his hand and rubbed his face, revealing a relieved smile.

"You're right. Behind us is Wudang Mountain. Where else can we escape to?"

He walked side by side with Chen Qisheng, raised his hand and pointed at the dense crowd of Yellow Turban Warriors in front of him, and asked with a smile: "Junior brother, do you think there will be a few words in the history of our Wudang in the future, writing my name, Zhao Yanlong, and what I did today?"

"Will do."

Chen Qisheng turned his head and looked, his tone firm.

At this moment, in his eyes, the world was no longer just a dull black and white, but was filled with gorgeous colors.

He finally saw the face of the person in front of him and the mountain behind him.

"It's enough to leave your name behind."

The smile on Zhao Yanlong's lips disappeared, his eyes were bloodshot, he looked down the mountain and roared!

"Anyone who offends Wudang will die!"

(End of this chapter)