The path to Wangliang was quite long and perilous. This was because Wangliang lived in Jinlang Valley near Luoyang, and to get there from my village, I had to cross mountains and rivers dozens of times. I was making my way day by day, covering my expenses with 50 taels of silver, and walking monotonously.
With no entertainment, I spent my free time practicing the Brain Dragon Diary Technique. Perhaps because I had taken the second elixir, I felt as if lightning crackled throughout my body just by circulating my inner energy through the Small Circulation (Xiaozhoutian).
Rumble!
Thunder roared. It wasn't just a feeling; it seemed to be visible to others as well. When I finished my practice, the innkeeper would sometimes burst in, startled.
"What, what's happening?"
"Nothing."
"There was a flash of light..."
Pretending I knew nothing, the innkeeper tilted his head and left.
'Hmm. Now I feel burdened when practicing my inner energy.'
Perhaps due to the elixir's effect, when I practiced the Brain Dragon Diary Technique, lightning qi (Lei Qi) spontaneously rose around my body, and the effect seemed to extend over ten yards, making lightning flicker.
I was curious about this phenomenon, but at least I was sure it wasn't harmful to my body. I could tell because, over time, I realized that no matter how much I used my inner energy, the massive energy in my dantian never diminished. When I first took the thousand-year-old ginseng, it felt like riding a fine horse, but now it felt like sitting on a dragon and flying through the sky.
Only then did I realize what had happened to my body.
The elixir's effect had forced me to reach the essence of the Brain Dragon Diary Technique!
Perhaps now, every time I use the Brain Dragon Diary Technique, I emit lightning qi, a phenomenon that would normally take decades or even centuries of practice to achieve. When I took the thousand-year-old ginseng the first time, my meridians weren't fully open, so there were no unusual effects. But the second time, a massive amount of natural qi flooded my body, forcing me to the next level of the Brain Dragon Diary Technique.
I don't know what level my inner energy has reached now.
Whoosh!
Thud
What I do know is that my running speed is now much faster than any ordinary horse, and even after running 20 li without stopping, I don't feel tired at all. I felt it was a waste of money to borrow a horse, so I just bought new straw shoes and kept running.
Given the geography of this area, it was faster to go straight over the mountain than to take the winding path that people usually use. So I was just leaping up the mountain. It took less than half an hour to cross one mountain.
Thud
I leaped over a massive cliff about five zhang high in just two steps and reached the mountain peak. The view from the mountain peak was breathtaking. It felt like I had transcended human limits and gained superhuman physical abilities, and it infused me with a sense of vitality for the future.
'Right. I'll forget about that massacre. Now, I'll just focus on moving forward.'
If I keep going for two more days, I'll reach Jinlang Valley where Wangliang lives. Since it's at least five years before I first met Wangliang, I don't know if he still lives there. But whether I meet Wangliang or not, the important thing is that I have a goal and am moving toward it.
While standing on a rock at the mountain peak, a voice transmission (zhuanyin) suddenly reached me.
"You have incredible skills. Who are you?"
I was startled by the unexpected voice transmission. I had no idea a top expert would initiate a conversation with me in such a place.
'Where are you?'
I tried to focus my senses to locate the speaker, but my sensing ability was based on intuition and I hadn't been trained in it. I couldn't detect the location of the person who was clearly hiding their presence.
I also didn't know how to use voice transmission. So I stood silently on the rock and shouted loudly.
"I am Bai Xiong!!!"
Rumble
I just shouted with my inner energy, but it turned into a lion's roar, echoing throughout the mountain. It probably reached the nearby village as well, and the invisible sound waves were visible as they spread.
The rock beneath my feet suddenly cracked like an egg and shattered. I used my lightness technique to land, and then I heard another surprised voice transmission.
"Ugh...! Using a lion's roar in such a place?"
I knew he could hear my voice without using a lion's roar, but I used it to intimidate him. I spoke coldly to avoid appearing weak.
"I've told you who I am. I don't want to quarrel with you, so let's part ways."
He had already mistaken me for a top expert after seeing my lightness technique. Whether he was aggressive or just curious, I found his skills very intimidating. If I got into a conflict or was underestimated, it wouldn't be good for me. So I wanted to overwhelm him with my lion's roar and leave coldly.
Swoosh
Then the person who sent the voice transmission revealed his presence from a bush about three zhang away. It seemed he thought voice transmission wouldn't work.
"Bai Xiong. I didn't approach you with bad intentions."
I could see the person clearly now.
A Taoist Master (Daoshi)!
Not a fake Taoist like Wangliang, but a real Taoist with a proper robe and a dignified appearance. He looked a bit thin but had a noble and kind face, and his Taoist cap was neatly worn. Most importantly, the aura he emitted was very pure, so I knew he was a high-ranking figure from a righteous sect.
I said cautiously.
"I don't care about your intentions. I'm leaving now, so don't bother me."
"Why are you in such a hurry? I just want to talk a bit."
"There's no guarantee that talking to you will help me."
As I lifted my foot to leave, the Taoist waved his hand and said urgently.
"No. In fact, I stopped you to ask for your help."
"......?"
"I am Xuantian Daoren, the head of Taizhengguan."
I was momentarily stunned.
Xuantian Daoren!
His name was that of a legendary figure from the most powerful Taoist sect, Wudang派. Although he didn't rank among the three great figures of the righteous sects, he had gained a glorious reputation by eliminating numerous evil sects and demons in Hubei. His fame was so great that even I, a 40-year-old bodyguard far from Hubei, felt my heart race when I heard of his exploits.
'If he looks like an elder now, he must still be active in the martial world 30 years from now?'
This is impossible unless his cultivation is extremely deep. I wondered if this encounter might help me in my previous life. After some thought, I said,
"What is it?"
"Will you listen to my story?"
"If it's not a waste of time..."
Xuantian Daoren smiled warmly and said,
"I patrol and live near a temple dedicated to Zhenwu Dadi. However, a malevolent aura has been emanating from a nearby village, causing me great concern. It's a very strong presence, and I've been struggling with it."
"Malevolent aura?"
"An evil sect."
An evil sect. While there were cases of Buddhist or Taoist figures doing strange things, for a high-ranking figure from a righteous sect like Xuantian Daoren to call it an evil sect, it must be something extraordinary. I tried to recall if there were any records of evil sects in martial history, but since I was too young at the time, nothing came to mind.
'If I have to think of something, it might be the White Lotus Sect.'
The White Lotus Sect was a banned and persecuted religion that had been driven to the southern part of the Central Plains. That was all I knew, so I asked,
"Is it the White Lotus Sect?"
"I thought so at first, but it's not. The White Lotus Sect was suppressed for political reasons by Emperor Hongwu but was fundamentally a righteous sect. The evil sect I discovered would never perform human sacrifices."
Human sacrifices!
I shuddered at the horror of the term. Human sacrifices involved killing people to offer to the gods they worshiped. This could involve beheading and laying out the bodies, or even cutting open the abdomen and laying out the organs while the victim was still alive. I had seen fanatics executed for human sacrifices in my later years.
'Could it be... the Nailan Sect?'
I blinked in disbelief at this unlikely guess.
I didn't have a clear memory of this time, but when I was almost done with my 50-year bodyguard career, a crazy religion appeared.
It was called the Nailan Sect, a bizarre name known for human sacrifices, cannibalism, and strange evil techniques. It suddenly gained power in the southern part of the Central Plains, causing chaos everywhere. Eventually, the government launched a massive crackdown, and the bloodshed was intense. While I was just a bodyguard and not directly affected, I heard that some areas became lawless and chaotic.
However, the Nailan Sect's rise was 40 years from now. It was completely unexpected for it to appear now. As I stood silently, Xuantian Daoren continued,
"Human sacrifices have already been performed in the villages beyond the mountain and the neighboring village. I eliminated the fanatics, but innocent people have already been sacrificed. If we don't act quickly, the evil sect will continue to spread."
"Even if they are evil sect members, they are not ordinary people. As a top expert like Xuantian Daoren, you could handle them alone..."
I trailed off.
That's right. The power of a top expert far exceeds that of any group of ordinary people. Even a thousand farmers with kitchen knives would be no match for a top expert given enough time.
Moreover, Xuantian Daoren's strength was at a level where his qi could materialize, comparable to a water control master or an elder of the Iron Blood Sect. It seemed unlikely that he would struggle with a group of evil sect members in a village.
Xuantian Daoren shook his head.
"No... To be honest, I lacked the strength to subdue the ringleader when I dealt with the evil sect members in two villages."
"What?"
"Not just fanatics, but strange monsters. There were too many for me to handle alone."
Monsters!
This also matched the characteristics of the Nailan Sect I had heard about. The Nailan Sect dealt with things that seemed to be from another world, which is why the chaos it caused was hard to suppress even by regular troops. The monsters were so hideous and terrifying that just seeing them could break one's spirit.
'Is it really the Nailan Sect?'
Xuantian Daoren said solemnly,
"From what I can see, you look like a young boy, but you possess unparalleled inner energy. You might be a high-ranking figure who has undergone a transformation, but regardless, I must ask for your help. If you, Bai Xiong, help me, we can definitely defeat the strange person controlling the monsters."
"Who is this strange person?"
"A person who controls the monsters using sound techniques with a flute. He seems to be the ringleader of this chaos..."
I was quite curious.
This was a completely new experience for me. If I could understand this situation, it might help me in my next life. However, I took a step back and said,
"Wouldn't it be better to report this to the authorities?"
"Would you believe a single Taoist if he told you that human sacrifices are happening in the village and monsters are rampant? I already went to the authorities, but they dismissed it as nonsense... I was meditating here when I saw your remarkable lightness technique."
"Hmm."
I thought for a moment and nodded.
"Alright. I'll help you."
"Really! Thank you."
"But there is a condition."
Xuantian Daoren's expression changed from a smile to a frown. He clearly didn't expect me to ask for a condition.
"Condition?"
"In exchange for helping you, teach me Wudang's ultimate techniques."
"......!!"
His expression darkened even more. He said with a stern look,
"Did you know I am from Wudang?"
"Is there a Taoist with such remarkable skills who isn't from Wudang?"
Xuantian Daoren looked extremely perplexed.
"... I can't accept that. Wudang's techniques are not taught outside the sect. Only those who have officially joined the sect and received the Wudang elder's license can learn them."
I laughed and turned away.
"Then I'll be on my way."
"Wait, wait. Can't we negotiate on something else? I'll do anything within my ability."
I taunted him to provoke him.
"Innocent people are dying, and an evil sect is spreading, yet you are thinking of your own safety first. Can you really call this a desperate request? No one would believe you, not even me."
"......!!"
I intended to provoke him, and to my surprise, Xuantian Daoren looked deeply shocked. It was as if he had a realization. He nodded solemnly and said firmly,
"Alright. If you help me, I will take you as my disciple and teach you all the ultimate techniques! I will take full responsibility."
Wow?
It worked too well, leaving me somewhat flustered. But I didn't show it and smiled.
"Alright. I'll do my best to help you."
An unexpected opportunity had presented itself.
If I could defeat the evil sect, I would have the chance to learn martial arts from a top expert of Wudang, a sect with a reputation equal to the three great figures of the righteous sects. I didn't know what these