Chapter 123: The Legend of the Daoist Tomb

"By the way, do you know that Dilong High School is now under the control of the upper echelons of the Taoist Sect? And I have some good news to announce."

Jiang Mingyue slowly set down her wine glass and spoke with a playful smile.

It turned out this dinner was not as simple as it seemed; Jiang Mingyue had other matters on her mind. However, since they all knew Jiu'er's identity, they maintained an unspoken understanding. Zhang Shouzheng felt deeply grateful for this; if the matter had reached the higher-ups of the Taoist Sect, even if Jiu'er wasn't destroyed by their combined forces, she would certainly have been expelled from Dilong High School. To them, a zombie—regardless of whether it possessed intelligence—was a catastrophe if it appeared in the world of the living.

Furthermore, many Taoist disciples had died or were injured while breaking the Nine-Direction Ghost Soul-Seizing Array. Aside from those in their class, the number of survivors could be counted on one's fingers. These survivors held goodwill toward Zhang Shouzheng and often visited him during his hospitalization, which was why the secret of Jiu'er had been kept so well.

"Sister Mingyue, stop keeping us in suspense. Just spit it out!"

Fan Xiaopang grabbed a large bottle of mellow white liquor and downed it in one gulp. Zhang Shouzheng watched, stunned. Although drinking was strictly prohibited at school, they had brought their own supply of wine and blood from home.

That wasn't the main issue, though. The real point was that they were only in their early teens. Zhang Shouzheng stared at Xiaopang, tongue-tied; the guy handled himself like a seasoned veteran, and combined with his massive frame, he looked more like a middle-aged uncle.

"They are organizing a trip around the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the destination is Mount Qingluo. You must have heard of it."

Jiang Mingyue gave a mysterious smile. Fan Xiaopang’s eyes widened, and he trembled with excitement, his fat jiggling. Zhang Shouzheng, however, was completely bewildered; he had never heard of the place. Jiu'er, standing beside him, wore a look of shock, clearly aware of what Mount Qingluo was.

"Shouzheng, don't tell me you've never heard of Mount Qingluo? It’s a magical place—it houses a Taoist tomb."

Jiang Mingyue pursed her lips, smiling at Zhang Shouzheng.

"A Taoist tomb? I really don't know anything about that."

Zhang Shouzheng shook his head. He had truly never heard of such a thing.

"Heh, if you don't know about Taoist tombs, what about 'immortal caves'? Mount Qingluo is said to be one of the seventy-two blessed lands of Taoism. It has clear waters and lush mountains, a place of extraordinary energy. The Taoist Master of Qingluo was a righteous cultivator who lived for hundreds of years. Legend has it that when he ascended, he left behind many treasures in his cave, each a magical artifact that demons and heretics fear. However, he sealed his cave. The experts of the Taoist Sect have calculated that the Qingluo tomb is likely to open during the Mid-Autumn Festival. This trip is actually organized so that we might try our luck."

Jiang Mingyue picked up a chicken leg and placed it in Zhang Shouzheng's bowl as she explained.

"Where did you hear this? Is it reliable?"

Zhang Shouzheng was taken aback. He had heard his master, Qingxu, mention caves before. Many high-level Taoist practitioners traveled to cultivate, often seeking places rich in spiritual energy to improve their cultivation. It was said that at the peak of mastery, one could ascend to immortality. Of course, that was merely a legend, as Zhang Shouzheng knew full well that the spiritual energy of the world was now too thin for such a feat.

When those powerful figures found suitable spots, they would settle down, and those dwellings were known as caves.

Although spiritual energy was sparse, there were still places connected to the Earth's dragon veins that could generate endless spiritual energy. Cultivating there yielded the same results. Legends spoke of the thirty-six grotto-heavens and seventy-two blessed lands, all located upon dragon veins.

These were just rumors, and he didn't know if they were true. But if the tomb on Mount Qingluo really existed, perhaps the legends held some truth.

If he could cultivate in a blessed land, he might quickly condense the Three-Pure Spiritual Lotus and perhaps even comprehend the Heavenly Book. But in this era, finding such a place was incredibly difficult.

"It should be reliable. Otherwise, why would the school organize this trip? Besides, I heard that only Taoist disciples are going—about forty of them. I think you two will go as well. I know your Senior Brother, Jiang Litian, has connections with the school and will certainly secure spots for you."

Jiang Mingyue brushed a lock of hair from her ear and smiled calmly.

"That only gives us half a month. We'll prepare well during this time."

Zhang Shouzheng nodded and stopped speaking, staring blankly at the table full of dishes. His ancestor had recently cleansed the impurities from his body and instructed him to eat less of such food to avoid accumulating more "toxins."

The meal was pleasant enough, but as they left the private room, they encountered someone who ruined the mood.

"Oh, you guys are quite capable, aren't you? It was you who broke the school's Nine-Direction Ghost Soul-Seizing Array, right? So many elite disciples died, yet you came out unscathed. If it weren't for the surviving disciples who saw it with their own eyes, people might have mistaken you for colluding with the Heaven Demon Sect. Heh, if I had been in the array that day, how could so many disciples have died?"

Seeing Jiu'er and Jiang Mingyue flanking Zhang Shouzheng, Zhong Zimo felt a surge of irrational anger. He looked at Zhang Shouzheng, his tone dripping with sarcasm and mockery.

Jiang Puti snorted, then turned to Fan Xiaopang and said, "Some people are as cowardly as mice. They didn't dare enter the killing array and acted like turtles that night, only to brag afterwards. Fatty, what are the odds of this guy coming out alive if he actually stepped into the array?"

Fan Xiaopang grinned, patted his bulging belly, and belched with the smell of alcohol. "Probably a one percent chance. If he knelt and begged those demonic disciples for mercy, maybe a soft-hearted one would spare his life."

"How dare you! Hmph, one from a declining family, the other a disciple of a minor sect, yet you dare to boast in front of me. I'm sure you lot will be going to Mount Qingluo. We'll see who has better luck then."

Zhong Zimo glared at them coldly before walking off toward another room. Standing at the door of that room were several tall, muscular teenagers who had been watching them with provocative expressions. Only when Zhong Zimo approached did they smile and welcome him inside.

"Shouzheng, you should be careful with your fellow disciple."

After watching Zhong Zimo enter the room, Jiang Mingyue spoke with a grave expression. "Zhong Zimo has quite some influence; he's actually running with those guys from the senior grade. It seems we'll have to be wary of them at Mount Qingluo."

"Big sister, if we really get into a fight with them, we don't have to be afraid," Jiang Puti said coldly. "After all, we have Jiu'er, and doesn't she have a ghost at the Manifestation of Yin stage?"

"Those guys look quite tall and sturdy; they must be Taoist practitioners, too. Mingyue, do you know them?" Zhang Shouzheng asked curiously.

Jiang Mingyue nodded. "Of course. They are disciples of the Great Strength Sect. It's a rarely known school that remains neutral, neither strictly righteous nor demonic. They focus on physical cultivation. Their bodies are incredibly tough. If we are at the same Night-Roaming stage, we’d be in trouble if we let them get too close."

"I see. Well, we've eaten our fill. Let's walk around the school."

Zhang Shouzheng smiled faintly and stepped forward.