Please call me Huanxian

Chapter 241 Someone Shoulders the Burden
The majestic and ancient Taoist temple is in sight, and the green mountains stretch far into the distance.

Zeng Shanlang took off the bamboo box on his back, put it on the bluestone platform, brushed off the dust on his body, straightened his headscarf and robes, and knelt down to pay great respects to the Taoist priest standing to the east.

"Thank you, Taoist priest, for not abandoning me and taking me in when I was young and poor. You also taught me the way of cultivation and taught me how to behave. 'Even a little bit of your words is a great favor.' Today, I have completed my painstaking training and become your disciple at the gate of the Taoist temple. Heaven is above and the earth is my witness. I will never forget your kindness and will repay you with all my heart!"

He took the difficult path with the intention of becoming a disciple.

After practicing Xuanjishu for nearly a year, he already knew that the Taoist priest was not good at physical training.

He had an obsession in his heart and was willing to follow the Taoist priest and seek his own martial arts.

After Xu Yuanzhang had bowed three times and kowtowed nine times, he said, "You have become my disciple in the beginning of a chaotic era. As your teacher, I only hope that you can 'take virtue as the root, take the heart as the basis, cultivate your character, and strive for self-improvement'. As for the rest, do not be pedantic and perverted in your conduct. Get up."

He observed the young man for three years and was very satisfied with his apprentice's character.

The young man was naturally cautious and prudent, having experienced many hardships. He was a little too cautious and not aggressive enough.

As your cultivation strength improves and your experience increases, the situation may improve.

Immortal practitioners do not care about red tape, and in their hearts they have long regarded each other as disciples and their teachers as teachers.

Formal worship is just a necessary ceremony.

"Yes, I will follow Master's instructions!"

Zeng Shanlang performed the etiquette meticulously, then raised his head and showed a bright smile of a young man.

Dark, pure, with happiness overflowing from his face.

Liu Xianfeng's voice came from the red willow branches in the bag behind the Taoist priest, "Congratulations, your wish has come true. Aunt Liu is very poor and has no gifts for you. When you make a lot of money in the future, remember to honor your master and Aunt Liu."

Zeng Shanlang had long been accustomed to Aunt Liu's absurdity, and he chuckled, "Of course, the treasures I present to Aunt Liu will only be a little less than what I present to Master."

"You can show more respect quietly, and Aunt Liu won't tell anyone."

"You have already said so."

"You haven't delivered it yet, so it doesn't count."

Liu Xianfeng started to make trouble, and even the rabbit in the ring space felt inferior to her, saying, "The little girl is a person of character, how could she have the heart to blackmail her like this?"

Xu Yuanchang smiled. Liu Xianfeng always seemed heartless. He made loud noises in his calculations to get money home, and he was not afraid of being heard.

He stepped onto the ancient stone steps and after three steps, he arrived in front of the solemn and intricately carved gatehouse.

Zeng Shanlang followed closely behind his master, carrying a bamboo box on his back.

Xu Yuanchang greeted the Taoist priest guarding the gate and took out his purple gold token and pass. After checking, a Taoist priest led the way and took the two of them over two mountains to the "Shouxing Hall" halfway up Dingxian Mountain.

The three monks guarding the third floor of the Xing Hall talked to the dusty master and disciple Xu Yuanchang separately, asking about their itinerary and the challenges they encountered.

Xu Yuanchang had heard from Meng Caiqin, Lao Song and Lao Nan before that it was recorded in ancient books that this stage was called "questioning one's heart."

He did not feel the treatment of having his magic weapon hanging on his head or having the masters from the fourth floor knock on his door in secret.

The monks seen in the Taoist Court were full of excitement in their words and deeds, and their faces showed a pride that they could not conceal. They seemed to be looking forward to the opening of the gate to the Dark World, and were willing to take the lead in exploring the Dark World and searching for treasures.

The rabbit lazily lay on its crystal nest and revealed the secret in one sentence.

"Thousands of years have passed, and the routine is still the same. The upper echelons are worried that people will panic and be afraid before fighting, so they deliberately spread rumors to downplay the dangers of the dark world, emphasize the opportunities in foreign lands and the abundance of natural treasures, and stimulate the inner desires of the cultivators. Then, groups of cultivators will rush into the dark world to make a fortune, and their combat power will indeed increase exponentially."

The rabbit yawned idly, holding back the "but" that followed, and stared at the dark sky, as if to remind casually:
"Friend Xu, you still owe me a few treasures. You've been in arrears for a month. Have you forgotten?"

"If you hadn't told me, Brother Li, I would have really forgotten about it. I'll give it to you after you settle down."

Xu Yuanchang continued to delay. How could a cultivator as meticulous as him forget to pay Rabbit for teaching him how to use the Creation Altar? He did it on purpose.

"It doesn't matter if you really forgot. I don't expect you to come up with anything good."

"This is not good. If you don't want it, I will feel bad."

"Bullshit, which ear of yours heard me say 'I don't want it'? You can give me five treasures as you wish, hehe."

The rabbit was quite depressed. A tiger in dire straits is bullied by dogs, and a dragon trapped in shallow water is bullied by shrimps. He didn't care about those pieces of trash. No, he was penniless now and he couldn't let go of any piece of meat even on the mosquito's leg.

The money he saves will be of great use in the future.

Xu Yuanchang pretended not to hear and chatted with the monks on the third floor of Shouxing Hall for half an hour.

I went through the "conscience examination" and passed it without any difficulty.

After walking out of the Shouxing Hall and waiting for a while, Zeng Shanlang came out with a bamboo box on his back, with a happy look on his face. He told his master that he had passed the test of the Bitter Road.

A Taoist priest led them to "Xiangbing Valley" twenty miles away.

Lived in a clean house with two courtyards.

The entire Xiangbing Valley is five miles in radius, with pavilions and towers hidden among the trees. There are four courtyards and residences for entertaining guests in the east, west, south and north. It is said that there is a cave residence on the northern slope for entertaining masters of the fourth floor, and it is shrouded in mist.

Many monks and children who had arrived earlier and passed the assessment had already moved into the Xiangbingu courtyard.

From the corridors, attics and pavilions, there were sounds of conversation and laughter.

The fragrance of flowers fills the air, creating a festive and peaceful atmosphere.

Xu Yuanchang washed and dressed, feeling refreshed and ready to go out. He walked outside to find out whether Old Song and the others had arrived, and waited for Meng Shanhe to send someone to call him in for a talk. Although he already knew about the big event, he had to follow Uncle Meng's follow-up arrangements.

There was a knock on the door and a greeting outside the courtyard: "Excuse me for disturbing Fellow Daoist Xu's peace. Qi Lian, on the order of Master Yu Jian of Wangjian Mountain, respectfully invites Fellow Daoist Xu and Fellow Daoist Liu to visit Wangjian Mountain."

A look of surprise appeared on Xu Yuanchang's face. Yu Fengwu became the sword master?

Then he understood that the old Sword Saint was probably going to lead a group of fifth- and fourth-floor monks to garrison somewhere where the gate to the Dark World was about to open. He did not dare to leave and passed the position of Sword Master to Yu Fengwu.

Yu Fengwu is young, but he holds a high position and has great power, and the burden on his shoulders is heavy.

Liu Xianfeng walked out from the red willow tree which was about ten feet tall in the yard, walked forward and opened the gate.

After greeting the sword cultivator Qi Lian and exchanging pleasantries for a while, Xu Yuanchang gave some instructions to the disciple who came out to see him off, and told the young man to study hard in the yard. He broke off a branch, took the willow breeze hidden in the branch, and flew out to Bing Valley with the sword cultivator named Qi.

I saw the white-browed Wu Zhe flying towards me.

"Where are you going, brother?"

"Greetings, Senior Brother Wu. Master Yu of Wangjian Mountain has summoned you. But Senior Uncle Meng wants to see me about something?"

Xu Yuanchang secretly sighed that these guys were well-informed.

As soon as he settled down, they came to him one after another.

Wu Zhe smiled and nodded at Qi Lian who was bowing. It was obvious that he knew him well. He knew who Master Yu Jian was and that he had a very close relationship with his junior brother. He smiled and said, "You go to Wangjian Mountain first. Uncle Meng is not in Xiyuan now. When we are free in the evening, we can talk about some things."

"Forgive me for neglecting you, Senior Brother!" "There's no need for formalities between us. Go and get down to business."

Wu Zhe smiled and waved his hand.

If my junior brother has the ability to steal the girl from the Yu family and marry Master Yu Jian back to Dengxianguan, it would be a great pleasure for everyone.

Xu Yuanchang respectfully asked his senior brother to fly away first, and then he followed Qi Lian out of the Dingxiantai Daoting Mountain Gate and flew all the way to the west. After five hundred miles, they saw a high peak in the distance that stood like a giant sword between heaven and earth, with six peaks on each side protecting it, stretching down one after another.

There is no mountain gate or protective formation in the territory of Wangjian Mountain, so people can fly in and out freely.

But it requires corresponding strength and courage.

If you don't have enough skills and try to fly in the air, you will be hit by a flying sword that comes from nowhere and become covered in dust.

Therefore, on the 300-li area of ​​Wangjian Mountain, everyone below the third floor has to walk quietly.

Qi Lian invited the guests to the "Lingfeng Sword Hall" halfway up the Wangjian Mountain. Master Yu Jian respected the old sword master and did not live on the top of the mountain. He used this place as a place to preside over the affairs of Wangjian Mountain and meet guests.

Xu Yuanchang walked into the hall and saw Yu Fengwu signing files with a pen behind a large desk.

After waiting for a while, Yu Fengwu sent two of his men outside and gave an order. He then walked out from behind the desk and said with a smile, "Xianfeng girl, why don't you come out? Do you really need me to invite you three or four times?"

Liu Xianfeng showed up in a flash, her willow skirt swirling, and she was already holding Yu Fengwu's arm. She looked around the wide hall with a smile and said enviously, "Sister Yu, you are so powerful now, in charge of all the sword cultivators of Dingzhou, and your words are as powerful as gold, and everyone responds to you."

Yu Fengwu smiled and said, "Today, I will let you enjoy the glory of being the sword master. I will treat you to the best spiritual tea in Dingzhou."

He asked Xu Yuanchang to sit down and took out a can of spiritual tea from the drawer.

Liu Xianfeng was busy cleaning the tea set and boiling water to make tea.

After chatting for a while, Yu Fengwu took out a fist-sized jade box from his sleeve and handed it to Xu Yuanchang sitting opposite him.

"What treasure? Whoever sees it gets a share. Sister Yu, you can't be partial to one and ignore the other."

Liu Xianfeng wiped his hands clean and leaned over to look.

Xu Yuanchang had already opened the lid of the jade box, revealing a flame inside that was solidified like a red gem, and reflected the surrounding area with a red color like flowing water.

Unpredictable, blurry light and colors.

"Flaming Sun Illusion Fire!"

Xu Yuanchang recognized that the box contained the phantom fire that he urgently needed.

With Liu Xianfeng's current state of mind, he would not be easily confused by the third-order phantom fire. He stared at the constantly changing flames and exclaimed, "How beautiful! If I take it home and use it as a lantern to light up the house, it will definitely be unique and help me sleep well."

Xu Yuan closed the jade box, looked at the charming woman opposite him, and asked with a smile: "Is Brother Yan back?"

"I knew I couldn't hide it from you. Yan Shusheng traveled to Hezhou for nearly three years and found a suitable third-level phantom fire. He spent a lot of money to exchange it. He received a message and rushed back to Xiyuan. He had other urgent matters to deal with. We can't meet in the short term. He asked me to pass the phantom fire to you, saying that he was free of debt and relieved."

Yu Fengwu picked up the boiling teapot and poured three cups of emerald green tea.

The whole room is filled with the refreshing fragrance of tea.

"Brother Yan, you've been running around for a long time. Next time I see you, I'll have to thank you."

Xu Yuanchang put away the jade box. It would be easier to make a living with more friends. Otherwise, with his own strength, who knows when he would be able to get the phantom fire that could enhance his strength.

Yu Fengwu offered him tea, and the three of them drank in silence for a long time.

The rabbit in the Magic Fairy Ring pouted and said, "There are really no good things now. A mere third-level magic fire is so difficult to obtain." He then encouraged, "Xu Xiaoyou, listen to me and explore the bottom of Wuya Lake. I guarantee you will make a lot of money and improve your cultivation quickly. You may even get a fifth-level 'Water Rippling Ice Fire', which is a good thing for nourishing the soul."

Xu Yuanchang ignored the rabbit with "fraud" written on its forehead. Why did he need the fifth-level flame?
It is of no use. The current level of cultivation is at least a hundred years behind that of the fifth level.

After drinking a cup of tea, Yu Fengwu began to slowly and in detail tell the two of them about the warning of the residual shadow mirage in the desert and the major event that the dark world would open within ten years. It took him nearly half an hour to talk about it, including the dangers involved, the losses caused by previous catastrophes, and so on.

She had to tell the truth to her two friends.

The news that "the door to the dark world is opening, opportunities are coming" that is spreading rapidly outside cannot be used to deceive our own people.

Liu Xianfeng was stunned after hearing this, and it took her a long while to come back to her senses. She pulled Yu Fengwu's arm and asked nervously, "Sister Yu, you have taken over the heavy responsibility of Wangjian Mountain. Are you going to lead them to fight in the front?"

Yu Fengwu smiled calmly and said, "No cultivator in the world can stay out of this. You should improve your cultivation as soon as possible, preferably within ten years. Use some means to raise your cultivation to the fourth floor, and perhaps you will have a better chance of survival."

She already knew some of the plans in advance, but she couldn't reveal them to the two of them.

Xu Yuanchang nodded with a serious expression.

Yu Fengwu continued, "You and Zeng Shanlang have good test scores. If you want to come to Wangjian Mountain, it's just a matter of a word. But I advise you not to come to Wangjian Mountain. The situation has changed this year. The rules for hiring people are different from the past. All cultivators who have completed the hard work will be admitted. Heizhou Peak is the ancestral home of physical cultivation. Zeng Shanlang has been reserved. Dingxiantai and Zhuoyao Mountain are vying for you. It's up to you to make your own choice."

Xu Yuanchang thought for a moment and said, "I will go back and discuss with Senior Brother Wu Zhe of Dengxian Temple before making a decision."

He understood that Fellow Daoist Yu did not want him to join Wangjian Mountain because in the future the monks of Wangjian Mountain would have to fight in the front, which was too dangerous and the chance of survival was not high.

Liu Xianfeng was so worried that she had no appetite for tea. She just stared at Sister Yu who acted as if nothing had happened.

There were some discouraging words that she couldn't say, and Sister Yu wouldn't listen.

Sister Yu and Fellow Daoist Xu are very different in this regard. She agrees with Fellow Daoist Xu's idea and approach of preserving his life and keeping the green mountains alive so that there is no fear of running out of firewood.

Yu Fengwu ruffled the little tree charmer's hair and said, "You gain something, you lose something. Face it calmly, don't be afraid."

She has experienced too many life and death situations and has long since let it go.

For her, the opening of the door to the dark world is both dangerous and a chance to hone her sword skills.

It is said that in the dark world, natural resources and treasures are piled up in large quantities.

After a hundred years of fighting, if he could survive, perhaps he could break through to the sixth floor?
Xu Yuanchang and Liu Xianfeng stayed in the Lingfeng Sword Hall for more than an hour. They didn't want to disturb them for a long time, so they said goodbye and left.

Yu Fengwu sent the two of them out of Wangjian Mountain and stuffed an emerald green bracelet into Liu Xianfeng's hand, which contained a gift she had specially left for them, as a little help.

We say goodbye today, I don’t know when we will meet again?

She will enter the Forgotten Sword Cave tomorrow to practice sword skills to the extreme.

All matters of Wangjian Mountain, including the task of training sword practitioners, have been temporarily assigned to the old sword master's disciples.

She must take advantage of this rare opportunity and seize the time to improve her own strength.

Perhaps when she comes out, she will lead the crowd into the dark world.

The sunset is quiet and beautiful, and the beauty is like a painting.

……

(End of this chapter)