One night passed without incident.
The next morning, Yan Shouyi woke up to find the entire Longhu Mountain shrouded in thick fog. Standing by the window, he couldn't even see what was in the courtyard.
After everyone had washed up, the sun had risen, but its rays could still not penetrate the dense fog. Instead, it allowed people to look directly at the sun, which hung in the sky like the salted egg yolk in a bowl of white porridge.
The one who came to deliver breakfast to Yan Shouyi and the others was not Zhu Feifeng, but the young sweeping Taoist priest Yu Shun. After delivering the food, Yan Shouyi invited Yu Shun to stay and eat with them. Yu Shun reluctantly agreed.
Since a considerable portion of the guests on Longhu Mountain were vegetarian, Yu Shun brought only white porridge, pickles, and radishes. However, the taste was excellent, and even Long Feicheng, a carnivore, complained less than usual.
Yan Shouyi mused that perhaps it was because Longhu Mountain was a place of outstanding people and natural beauty, where the pickles and radishes grown were better than those sold outside.
While eating, Yan Shouyi curiously asked, "Yu Shun, how many Luotian Grand Ceremonies have you participated in?"
Yu Shun shook his head and replied, "Never before."
"Right, I shouldn't have asked. You haven't been on Longhu Mountain for long," Yan Shouyi muttered.
Old Jin couldn't help but ask, "Do you know if any important figures are attending today?"
Yu Shun answered, "The most important person should be our Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain. As for others... I don't know."
With the presence of the Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain, all other figures could not be called "important figures."
The others showed little interest, likely realizing that they wouldn't be able to glean any significant information about Longhu Mountain from the young Taoist priest Yu Shun.
Yan Shouyi had contacted Lin Zitong the previous night to ask why she hadn't arrived at Longhu Mountain yet. Lin Zitong's reply was that she was on her way and would be delayed.
However, whether she arrived early or late didn't matter much. Yan Shouyi assumed Lin Zitong didn't intend to participate in the Luotian Grand Ceremony, so he felt it would be enough to see her appear at the last moment.
After breakfast, everyone got ready to depart. Finally, it was the young Taoist priest Yu Shun who led them to the Ten Thousand Dharma Altar in front of the Heavenly Master Hall.
When they arrived, many sect teams were already standing in the Ten Thousand Dharma Altar, a sea of black heads, which were quite conspicuous even in the dense fog.
"So many people!" Zhao Yiyao exclaimed. "We didn't feel it yesterday when everyone arrived in batches."
A'Gong also stretched his neck to look around, "Those sect disciples all have uniform attire. If only we had gotten some too."
"I don't think it's necessary. We are all unique individuals, and wearing our own clothes reflects our distinctiveness," Wang Jiwang said with a smile.
Yan Shouyi looked back and found that Yu Shun, who had been leading them, had disappeared. However, it didn't matter, as they had already reached the Ten Thousand Dharma Altar, and Yu Shun should be busy with his own tasks.
The group found a spot to stand and happened to encounter people from Mount Emei. Abbess Guan Yun, leading Ling Xiaoxiao, all converged together.
As soon as they met, Ling Xiaoxiao couldn't help but say, "Did you see it yesterday? That Longhu anomaly... My master said that Longhu Mountain has gained another Divine Tiger Secret Script. This year's Luotian Grand Ceremony will have two holders of the Divine Tiger Secret Script competing for the position of Heavenly Master. This year's ceremony will be more exciting than the last sixty years combined!"
Yan Shouyi's expression was peculiar. Not many people knew that he also possessed the Longhu Secret Script; Ling Xiaoxiao, Yan Nanfei, and others did not know.
He wondered what this little girl would think if he told her at that moment that he was also a holder of the Longhu Secret Script.
Abbess Guan Yun suddenly reminded him, "Shouyi, pay attention."
"Pay attention to what?" Yan Shouyi asked, confused.
He followed Abbess Guan Yun's gaze and saw two teams. One team had a flag at the front with the character "Yan" written on it.
The other team consisted entirely of bald monks.
Yan Shouyi coughed twice, and Ling Xiaoxiao smiled, saying, "That's the Yan family of Mount Kunlun, to which Senior Brother Yan belongs, and the Hanshan Temple where Senior Brother Changshan is."
Indeed!
Yan Shouyi looked closely and saw Yan Nanfei and Changshan.
Yan Nanfei hadn't changed much, but Changshan had undergone a significant transformation. Previously, Changshan was like a block of wood, but now a little hair had grown on his bald head, and his eyes were somewhat unfocused. Most importantly, he had indeed tattooed the character "色" (se, meaning desire or lust) on his head.
Seeing Changshan's appearance, Yan Shouyi suddenly understood why the abbot of Hanshan Temple had been so angry with him.
"What did Changshan experience on his way back?" Yan Shouyi asked.
Ling Xiaoxiao whispered, "Senior Brother Changshan entered the secular world for cultivation along the way. He reportedly delivered takeout and worked on construction sites, experiencing the vicissitudes of life. Finally, he met two fallen women. Seeing their plight, he wanted to bring them back to the temple, saying that after the children were born, he would adopt them..."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Long Feicheng said. "At least he's accumulating merit and doing good deeds!"
"It wasn't a bad thing originally," Ling Xiaoxiao sighed. "But Senior Brother Changshan is very stubborn. Once he decides something is good, he'll keep doing it. It's said that Hanshan Temple is currently housing over a hundred pregnant fallen women, and people from other temples mock them as a 'chicken coop'."
Yan Shouyi: "..."
Although he was doing good deeds, Buddhist monasteries are supposed to be places of purity. Coupled with the gossip from other temples, even an enlightened monk might find it difficult to bear.
Poor abbot!
Yan Shouyi silently sympathized with the abbot and noticed that Yan Nanfei seemed to have seen him and was smiling and waving. So, Yan Shouyi smiled and waved back.
The next second, an elder from the Yan family pulled Yan Nanfei back and glared at Yan Shouyi from a distance.
Yan Shouyi had to reluctantly lower his hand.
There were many acquaintances at the Luotian Grand Ceremony, but even more strangers.
So, Yan Shouyi withdrew his gaze and stayed with his own people, to avoid unnecessary trouble.
The group waited for a while before suddenly hearing the sound of a bell.
The bell was deep and resonant, as if it had traveled through millennia to reach them. It broke through the dense fog, allowing sunlight to shine upon the Ten Thousand Dharma Altar!
At the very center of the Ten Thousand Dharma Altar was a massive Tai Chi and Bagua diagram. The two Yin Yang fish eyes within the Tai Chi alone were as large as a small car.
Sunlight made the signboard of the Heavenly Master Hall radiate a dazzling golden light. In front of the Heavenly Master Hall, the old Heavenly Master Zhang Yin, dressed in a ceremonial robe and holding a whisk, appeared like a celestial being descending to earth, inspiring awe.
Behind the Heavenly Master stood four highly respected elders of Longhu Mountain, side by side, also in ceremonial robes, though slightly different from the Heavenly Master's. They held various ritual instruments, looking solemn and dignified, seemingly preparing for some sacrificial ritual.
"What are they doing?" Long Feicheng asked curiously.
Zhang Shantong told Long Feicheng to keep his voice down, "Shhh... The Luotian Grand Ceremony is one of the most grand events in Taoist rituals. Its purpose is to pray for peace and prosperity, and favorable weather. Therefore, any competitions you have later are secondary; the most crucial part is this opening sacrificial ritual."
"Oh..."
Long Feicheng's voice also lowered, seemingly influenced by the atmosphere, making him appear much more serious.
From the top of the Heavenly Master Hall, five-colored cloths rolled down, covering half of the Ten Thousand Dharma Altar. Under everyone's gaze, the old Heavenly Master began to burn incense and consecrate the altar. Dedicated musicians played Taoist music, and combined with the surrounding clouds and mist, it made everyone feel as if they were in a celestial palace.
Next, the rituals of inviting water and raising banners, proclaiming decrees and purifying the impure, summoning saints and drawing spiritual energy, following the stars and presenting memorials, lowering banners and sending off saints, proceeded smoothly.
The Luotian Grand Ceremony invoked "the Three Realms' Supreme, the Ten Directions' Sacred Ones, the Heavenly Emperor and True Beings of the Jade Capital Golden Palace, the Ten Directions' Master and Sacred Assembly, the Officials of the Three Realms, and all Majestic Spirits." Therefore, the ritual had to be performed thoroughly.
In the past, the Luotian Grand Ceremony was presided over by royalty and nobility, requiring the establishment of nine altars, a duration of seven times seven, forty-nine days, and the holding of seven grand ceremonies. These rituals included blessings, prayers for peace, royal ceremonies, water ceremonies, fire ceremonies, the ceremony of worshipping the Big Dipper for the Nine Emperors, and the ceremony of the Three Yuan. However, times have changed, and the tedious rituals have been reduced, but the sense of ceremony has not diminished.
Regardless of whether the immortals existed or not, the Luotian Grand Ceremony expressed the shared aspirations of all strata of society for the future.
After all the rituals were completed, the old Heavenly Master's expression relaxed considerably; he was no longer as tense as before.
"Welcome everyone to this Luotian Grand Ceremony. I am Zhang Yin. On behalf of Longhu Mountain, I thank you all for coming."
With the old Heavenly Master leading the way, the atmosphere among the guests below also relaxed, and some even loudly greeted the old Heavenly Master, though he could not respond.
"By the grace of Heaven, I have held the position of Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain for over a cycle of sixty years. Over these years, many talented individuals have emerged from the Xuanmen, but none have been able to obtain the Longhu Secret Script, which is truly regrettable."
"However, this year is different. I believe everyone has received the news that last year, a disciple possessing the Longhu Secret Script appeared on Longhu Mountain. That disciple has been accepted by me as my final disciple."
"And just yesterday, the spiritual observation platform exhibited an anomaly, and another disciple obtained the Longhu Secret Script!"
At this point, the crowd could no longer contain themselves and began to discuss in hushed tones, disregarding the old Heavenly Master's presence.
The old Heavenly Master also paused for a moment. After the discussions subsided, he continued, "Perhaps this is the arrangement of Heaven. The position of Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain belongs to the capable. If there were only one capable person, the position of Heavenly Master might be left vacant by that person! I believe the more Longhu Secret Scripts there are, the better. Ideally, all cultivators in the world could gain recognition from Longhu, and ideally, everyone at the Luotian Grand Ceremony would possess the Longhu Secret Script. Therefore, we should select a young successor who is both virtuous and extraordinarily capable to ascend to the position of Heavenly Master!"
This speech was met with widespread approval; it truly voiced the sentiments of everyone present.
Currently, Longhu Mountain was the center of Taoism in the world, and the Heavenly Master was the head of this lineage. The position was truly coveted.
However, there was only one Heavenly Master position, and the Longhu Secret Script was not something everyone could obtain. Just like this time, after much anticipation, only two disciples of Longhu Mountain had appeared.
As for outsiders like them, they simply had no chance.
While everyone was thinking about vying for the position of Heavenly Master, Yan Shouyi interpreted the old Heavenly Master's words rather differently.
He possessed the Longhu Secret Script and knew the condition for obtaining it, which was to have a quality that prioritized the well-being of all sentient beings. When the old Heavenly Master wished for everyone in the world to possess the Longhu Secret Script, he didn't intend for everyone to compete for the Heavenly Master position, but rather for everyone to care about the common people.
If such a day truly arrived, where everyone lived and worked in peace and prosperity, the position of Heavenly Master would become unimportant.
There were those who supported the Heavenly Master and those who whispered gossip. They dared not confront the old Heavenly Master directly and could only discuss in hushed tones behind his back.
"Talking so much fancy nonsense. Won't the next Heavenly Master still be chosen from within Longhu Mountain? What does it have to do with us?"
The old Heavenly Master seemed to have heard their words and suddenly said,
"Distinguished guests, at any given time, a maximum of three Longhu Secret Scripts can appear. Two of these have already appeared within our Longhu Mountain, and the last one... it has actually appeared some time ago, and it is among you!"
Everyone was shocked and couldn't help but look around.
There was actually another Longhu Secret Script?!
Good heavens, this Luotian Grand Ceremony was truly exciting, with three Longhu Secret Scripts competing for the Heavenly Master position!
The most exciting part was that the last Longhu Secret Script holder was not from Longhu Mountain!
At that moment, disciples from all sects couldn't help but look at the strongest young generation within their own sects.
They speculated whether their senior brothers or sisters had secretly obtained the Longhu Secret Script without telling anyone.
Everyone knew in their hearts that they were not the possessor of the Longhu Secret Script. Everyone was looking around, as if this could reveal who the chosen one was.
Only one person, from beginning to end, kept his gaze fixed solely on the old Heavenly Master.
It was Yan Shouyi.
He gave a wry smile. He had originally planned to compete quietly, but now everyone knew that there was one more Longhu Secret Script participant.
The only fortunate thing was that no one knew that this last Longhu Secret Script belonged to Yan Shouyi.
Just then, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, "He is the possessor of the last Longhu Secret Script!!"
Yan Shouyi's pupils contracted. Startled, he quickly shook his head, "It's not me, don't talk nonsense! I'll get mad at you!!"
However, he realized that no one seemed to have noticed him. Everyone was looking at a young man standing diagonally opposite Yan Shouyi.
This person was from Mount Wudang, similar in age to Yan Shouyi. He appeared quite strong and handsome, even somewhat ethereal.
The person who had spoken earlier was a disciple of Mount Wudang, who shouted, "Our Senior Brother Zhao is the possessor of the last Longhu Secret Script!"
"He has nothing!"
Long Feicheng stood beside Yan Shouyi and whispered, "The possessor of the last Longhu Secret Script is clearly you, Brother Yan. Unless there are four Longhu Secret Scripts in the world, or that kid is lying!"
Yan Shouyi said, "I'm also a bit confused about the situation."
"Should we reveal our identities too?" Long Feicheng asked.
"Absolutely not!" Yan Shouyi replied. "Whether or not that disciple from Mount Wudang is lying, it's good to have him attract everyone's attention. I don't want too many people to take notice."
[Author's Note]
San Yuan is very busy today and tomorrow, so for now, there will be merged chapters of 4,000 words. Normal updates will resume the day after tomorrow.
Everyone must have noticed that San Yuan's updates this month have been quite vigorous. In fact, my personal goal is 8,000 words per day, so after I finish my tasks, I will definitely provide a sustained burst of updates. Please vote more!