Chapter Nineteen: Suffering Through the Ages

  Xiang Yu Sheng asked in surprise: "How did you know our identities?"

  Xuan Kong smiled and said, "This Cliff Mountain Sect was established by my master and me with our own hands, from top to bottom. The outer hall of the Upper Clear Hall is even engraved with the formation diagram of the Nine Heavens Imperial Thunder Array. How can outsiders casually enter? However, you seem to be familiar with the internal affairs of my Cliff Mountain Sect, so I guess that you might be the Grass and Wood Immortals from the courtyard."

  Hongxue and Xiangyu both clapped their hands and laughed, telling Xuankong about their origins. It turned out that they were the white peony and mountain tea flowers that he had transplanted from Mount Kunlun and had become spirits.

  Mysterious and strange, in a previous life I read "Liaozhai", Pu Songling only wrote that on the top of Lao Mountain, in front of Qing Palace, lived two flower fairies. But didn't know it was actually myself, out of curiosity, to complete the description in the book, was transplanted from Kunlun Mountain.

  Hong Xue covered her mouth and laughed: "I see that every time you enter and exit the Upper Clear Hall, your eyes are scanning us sisters back and forth. I thought you already knew our identities."

  Xuan Kong's face turned red as he recalled his childhood, when he had learned a few magic tricks and liked to show off outside the Upper Clear Hall. Now that he thought about it, he realized that he was probably being watched by Hong Xue and Xiang Yu back then, and before he knew it, more than a decade had passed and he had grown into an adult.

  Recalling past lives and present ones, I couldn't help but sigh at the fleeting time. Even Xu Kong's eyebrows revealed a rare hint of melancholy.

  "What are you thinking about again?" Xiang Yu and Jian Xue watched Xuan Kong grow up from a young age, and they were also curious about the strange ideas in his mind. Xiang Yu leaned in front of Xuan Kong, looking more and more elegant and charming, indeed a rare flower fairy in the three realms.

  Xuan Kong exclaimed and then remembered that he was still talking to Xiang Yu, so he shook his head and said: "Master can let me out of the mountain, it is also my long-cherished wish. If I can take this opportunity to make the name of Ling Shan Pai famous all over the world, that would be great."

  Hong Xue was taken aback and said: "I thought you lived alone in the back mountain because of your proud nature, and didn't deign to interact with others."

  "What's going on?" Xuan Kong chuckled and said, "It's just that my fellow disciples have too many distracting thoughts in their minds, making it difficult for them to walk far on the path of seeking immortality. Even interacting with them is superfluous."

  It turned out that he had such an intention, Xiang Yu thought about it and felt that the disciples of Lao Mountain Sect were indeed as Xu Kong said, many disciples came up and down the mountain over the years, but those who truly obtained the orthodox Dharma of Lao Mountain Sect were very few.

  It turns out that they are all using some immortal family spells to calculate and show off in the mortal world.

  "The path of cultivation is divided into three layers: Dao, Fa, and Shu." Xuan Kong counted on his fingers, sighing, "Under the Great Dao, there are also 48,000 side doors and external methods. Side doors can also be cultivated to achieve the right result. Unfortunately, my fellow disciples have no idea of the Dao in their hearts and no method in their eyes. They only know how to pursue the mystery of immortal techniques, but they don't know that it's actually getting farther and farther away from the Great Dao."

  Xiang Yu and Jiang Xue both agreed in their hearts, and they also knew that Xuan Kong yearned to become an immortal. They all thought about cultivating to achieve the ultimate goal. They just advised a few words, wanting Xuan Kong to get along well with his fellow disciples, but they didn't take it seriously either.

  Xuan Kong and Xiang Yu, two sisters who had been communicating through the darkness for over a decade, finally got to see each other and naturally talked for a long time.

  Unconsciously, it has become sunset, and the sky is getting darker.

  Hong Xue calculated the time, exclaimed in surprise, and only then realized that it was already midnight. They bowed slightly to the dark sky, preparing to bid farewell: "It's getting late, my sister and I also need to return to our cultivation practice, we'll meet again next time if fate permits."

  Xiang Yu reluctantly stood up, knowing that Xuan Kong was about to descend the mountain, and it was uncertain when they would meet again.

  Just when I finally let go of my worries, it's time to part ways again, and I feel a little reluctant in my heart.

  Xuan Kong, however, was open-minded and knew that there would be plenty of opportunities in the future. He comforted them by saying: "You are all cultivating immortals from plants and trees, and the essence of the sun and moon is most important. As your host, I should have kept you here for a longer period, but since we are all fellow cultivators, there will be many more days to meet in the future. Don't let short-term views delay your cultivation."

  Xiang Yu, however, was not dependent on it. She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then suddenly brightened up and smiled: "After we return, we'll go into seclusion to cultivate. Calculating the time, it won't be long before we'll have to cross the tribulation and transform our bodies. Once we've transformed, we can see each other often!"

  Xuan Kong's heart skipped a beat, the so-called Tribulation of Crossing, is actually when a cultivator becomes enlightened and resonates with heaven and earth, stirring up the jealousy of heaven and earth, thus bringing down heavenly tribulations. It could be the pure yang fire, or the mysterious yin ice, or perhaps even the heavenly thunderbolt of Qian Tian.

  No matter which one, it's not easy to deal with.

  Xuan Kong has been traveling extensively over the years and has a good relationship with Li Zhenren of Laojun Mountain. Therefore, when he sensed the arrival of the heavenly calamity, he took refuge in the Huayang Heaven of Jin Tan Mao Shan, avoiding the thunder and fire from heaven and successfully refining the Purple Mansion Golden Elixir, merging his magical powers into one.

  However, Hongxue and Xiangyu, although they also practiced the same school of magic as Shanliu, were not very clear about the severity of the heavenly tribulation.

  For a moment, it was somewhat tense, and he hastily told Xue and Xiangyu to slow down, while Xuankong concentrated his mind to sense their cultivation. Xue saw Xuankong's serious expression and couldn't help but feel a tightening in her heart, standing on the spot with a complex expression, allowing Xuankong's divine consciousness to sweep over them.

  Because it was in Xuan Kong's own conscious space, he didn't have to exert much effort and had already grasped the two women's cultivation state and magical powers in detail.

  Xuan Kong calculated with his fingers for a moment, then smiled and said: "There's still almost a year left. Xiang Yu's magical powers are relatively pure, so she'll probably be a few months ahead. And you, Jiang Xue, are just slightly slower, but in about a year or so, both of you will have to go through your respective trials."

  Xiang Yu was frightened by Xuan Kong's serious expression and couldn't calm down, so she asked: "Jiang Xue and I have been focusing on cultivating the Tao, and we haven't harmed anyone in the world. Why would a heavenly calamity befall us?"

  Xuan Kong explained: "Ordinary people in the mortal world, after refining and transforming into a golden elixir, become infants. This is the Yuanying technique of cultivating the True Way. After successful cultivation, one can shed their mortal shell and ascend directly to the Thirty-Third Heaven as a celestial official."

  "But you and Hongxue, born in Kunlun Xianshan, were transplanted outside the Upper Clear Hall by me. Don't you have a deeper understanding of my Lingshan Sect's cultivation?"

  Hong Xue nodded, having indeed eavesdropped on the old Daoist master's lectures on Daoist teachings while living in seclusion outside Qing Temple on Lao Mountain over the years. Unbeknownst to her, the old Daoist master seemed to have sensed her and Xiang Yu's clandestine attendance, occasionally touching upon the cultivation methods of mountain spirits and wild ghosts amidst his intentional or unintentional hints.

  However, this was underestimating the two sisters' understanding of Daoist principles. The old Daoist had not even completed his refinement of the Purple Mansion Golden Elixir, so how could he have discovered the presence of Hongxue and Xiangyu outside?

  He only obtained the orthodox path of the ancient great god, in the ancient times, in the three realms, the human race did not have the status it has today. Not to mention when Emperor Jun ruled the world, at that time, many powerful beings in the heavens and earth also had some disciples with magical powers, so when Lao Dao was teaching his disciples according to the scriptures, Xiang Yu and Jiang Xue could also benefit from it.

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