Wielding the Thunders Across Two Worlds-Chapter 34: This Is Called Achievement in Cultivation
"Good morning!"
"Good morning!"
When they met the next day, Jiang Shishi was all sunshine and smiles, while Xiao Ya offered a shy, gentle laugh. Both girls were dressed in sun hats, form-fitting T-shirts, sun-protective outer layers, and casual pants. Aside from the different colors, they both radiated the same youthful energy.
"Thanks for coming with us," Xiao Ya said first.
"Don’t mention it. I’m just here for the free food and drinks," Gu Zhao joked.
Even though he now had special abilities and Magical Power, Gu Zhao was still a young man in his prime. Naturally, he wasn’t going to turn down the chance to go mountain climbing with two beautiful young women.
"Then let’s get going!" Jiang Shishi said, linking arms with Xiao Ya. "You’re praying for your grandpa’s well-being, and I’m praying for a good marriage for myself. With so many Taoist Temples on Qingcheng Mountain, one of them is bound to answer our prayers!"
The three of them took a tour bus straight to the foot of Qingcheng Mountain, then rode a sightseeing shuttle to the scenic area’s main gate. Gu Zhao, who hadn’t spent a single cent, slipped right into his role as tour guide.
"That complex of buildings we just passed is the Qingcheng Mountain Taoism Academy, a school that specializes in training Daoists. They only accept a very limited number of students each year. Getting in is no easier than passing the entrance exams for grad school or the civil service," Gu Zhao explained. "And the curriculum is anything but easy."
"What do they study?" Jiang Shishi asked.
"The Tao Scripture and classics, of course, plus Daoist music, ritual ceremonies, calligraphy, painting, Martial Arts, and even laws and regulations," Gu Zhao said. "Different Taoist Schools might have specialty courses, but those are the basics."
Jiang Shishi sighed. "That really is a lot to study. But how do you know all this so well?"
Gu Zhao said in a somber tone, "Because I once thought about applying to the Yue Province Taoism Academy, so I did a lot of research on the subject."
Xiao Ya asked, "And you didn’t end up taking the exam?"
Gu Zhao shook his head, his expression turning grim. "No, I failed the exam. They said I was completely tone-deaf, with zero musical talent. During the entrance test, not a single note I sang was on key. They said if I joined a group ritual, I’d just throw the whole ceremony into chaos, so they cut me."
The two girls were speechless.
They were suddenly hit with an overwhelming urge to laugh. What were they supposed to do?
Jiang Shishi managed to say between stifled snorts, "But don’t a lot of people perform the rituals together? You could have just blended in without anyone noticing..."
Gu Zhao threw up his hands. "I wanted to, but they wouldn’t let me!"
This time, they couldn’t hold it in any longer. Xiao Ya burst out laughing. For two top students from a music academy, being completely tone-deaf was an incomprehensible phenomenon.
The sightseeing shuttle stopped, and the group disembarked. Gu Zhao pointed to a cluster of buildings on their right. "That’s Jianfu Palace. It’s located just outside Qingcheng Mountain’s main gate. During the Tang Dynasty, it was originally called Zhenren Temple and was dedicated to the Five Peaks Elder Ning Fengzi. It was later renamed Jianfu Palace, and shrines to many other Immortals were added. Of course, the most important one is Taishang Laojun."
The group had come to Qingcheng Mountain to pray for blessings, so they made it a point to enter every temple they saw. Before they had even started their ascent, they first stopped at Jianfu Palace to pay their respects to the gods. Afterward, they bought a large bundle of incense from a shop near the entrance and finally began their climb.
As they walked, Gu Zhao explained the various sights to the two women, interspersing his commentary with all sorts of legends about Immortals from books like *Immortal Legends*, *Liexian Zhuan*, and *In Search of Spirits*. He painted a picture of Qingcheng Mountain as a truly blessed Immortal Mountain.
"In the *Taiping Guangji*, when the Queen Mother of the West gifted the Five Mountains True Form Map to Emperor Wu of Han, it’s mentioned that she did so at the behest of the Qingcheng Immortals. The *Preface to the Five Mountains True Form Map* also states that the Elder Qingcheng was appointed by the Yellow Emperor to oversee the Five Great Mountains. You can see that back then, Qingcheng Mountain’s status was even above that of the Five Great Mountains, on par with the Queen Mother of the West herself."
"You know that saying, ’Visit the Five Great Mountains and you’ll never need to see another mountain, visit Huang Mountain and you’ll never need to see the Five Great Mountains’? Well, compared to Qingcheng Mountain, they’re all just minor league."
Gu Zhao thought for a moment before adding, "Of course, I’m saying all this from Qingcheng Mountain’s point of view. If you were going to worship the East Mountain Emperor or the West Mountain Chen Tuan Ancestor, you’d hear a completely different story."
Instead of taking the cable car, the trio walked past Yile Nest to Shanyin Pavilion, stopping to pay their respects at the Quanzhen Taoist Temple and then the Ancient Celestial Master Cave.
"The Quanzhen Taoist Temple enshrines the Five Northern Ancestors of the Golden Core and the seven disciples of Chongyang Master," Gu Zhao commented. "The northern and southern branches of the Inner Alchemy Sect have obviously merged, but the Southern Five Ancestors are still constantly overlooked. It’s a real shame."
"The Zhengyi Dao and Quanzhen Dao temples are so close to each other. They seem to get along fine in modern times, but I wonder how they greeted each other back in the old days—by debating scriptures or by throwing punches," Gu Zhao remarked, looking back at the Quanzhen Taoist Temple from the entrance of the Ancient Celestial Master Cave.
Jiang Shishi giggled. "Didn’t you say the Quanzhen Dao were the better fighters?"
Gu Zhao nodded. "That’s why the Quanzhen Temple is in front—to intercept a good portion of the pilgrims and their offerings first."
Xiao Ya glanced at a Daoist passing nearby. "You’d better not say that inside the Ancient Celestial Master Cave. Watch out, or you might get beaten up."
Gu Zhao laughed and decided to stop his teasing. He simply asked, "We’ve passed so many Taoist Temples. Aren’t either of you going to have your fortune told?"
Xiao Ya shook her head. "I’ll wait until we reach the Supreme Lord Pavilion at the summit."
Gu Zhao nodded. Xiao Ya was a devoted granddaughter; making the difficult climb to the very summit was the best way to show her sincerity.
And so the three resumed their climb. Before long, the two women were panting, their faces glistening with sweat. When they looked over at Gu Zhao, however, they saw his breathing was even and there wasn’t a single drop of sweat on his brow. He didn’t look the least bit tired.
"You’re in amazing shape!" Jiang Shishi exclaimed, this time with genuine admiration and no hint of a double meaning. "Is Cultivation really that effective?"
Gu Zhao replied, "It is when you’ve made progress in your Cultivation."
"What do you mean by ’made progress’ in..." Xiao Ya had just begun her question when a boy of about ten shot past them, dashing up the path. His speed was impressive, and the shouts of an adult from behind them cut her off.
"Slow down!"
"The path ahead is tricky!"
"Be careful you don’t trip and fall!"
Xiao Ya sighed. "Kids have so much energy!"
Just then, the boy reached a bend in the path ahead of the trio. He turned back to wave as he ran. "I know, I know! I’ll be careful! I’ll just wait at that pavilion up ahead—"
The words had barely left his mouth when he missed his footing and tumbled toward the adjacent slope.
Strictly speaking, this section of the path wasn’t overly dangerous. The stone steps were wide, and though the adjacent slope was steep, it was covered in grass and trees that would break a fall. As long as one was careful, there was virtually no risk of slipping off, which was why there was no guardrail.
But the child had moved to the outer edge of the steps to get around other hikers and had missed his step at the exact moment he turned back. If he were to roll dozens or even hundreds of meters down that slope, the consequences would be dire.
Many people saw the boy’s foot find nothing but air, and in their minds, they could already see him tumbling down the slope. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
"AHH!" A piercing scream cut through the air.
WHOOSH! The sound of clothes slicing through the air.
The boy’s entire body was already off the stone steps, tumbling down the slope.
Gu Zhao shot forward in a single bound, leaping off the stone steps and onto the slope, charging down and diagonally to intercept the boy’s falling body.
The distance between them wasn’t great. Gu Zhao simply pushed off a tree to propel himself, positioning himself just below the boy. In the instant their paths crossed, he snatched the boy by the collar of his shirt.
Then, with the terrified, speechless boy in one hand, he used the trees for support and moved laterally, quickly making his way back onto the stone steps.
After setting the child down, Gu Zhao snapped his fingers and looked at Xiao Ya. "Now *that’s* what I call making progress in your Cultivation."
