Chapter 26

The Maoshan Sect, also a major Daoist sect, was once very prosperous when Tao Hongjing, inheriting the Daoist lineage of the Three Maos, established a school and taught disciples on Maoshan Mountain during the Southern and Northern Dynasties.

Until a few decades ago, Maoshan began to decline, especially after the failure of the second sword duel by the Grandmaster Taiyi Hunyuan, who then passed away. Daoist Maolao knew he could no longer compete with the Emei Sect and stopped participating in the disputes of the Daoist world. He rarely taught disciples and only engaged in activities such as blessing, praying, exorcising, and driving away evil spirits to earn money from the common people.

When Grandmaster Taiyi Hunyuan was alive, the Maoshan Sect was a staunch ally of the Wutai Sect. They advanced and retreated together in the two sword duels, and Daoist Maolao had profound Daoist powers. The Maoshan Sect's Daoist techniques were also highly unique. Grandmaster Taiyi Hunyuan often visited Maoshan as a guest and even chose this place to refine the Five Poison Immortal Sword, showing the close relationship between the two sects.

Yue Qing brought Liu Quan, along with Situ Ping and Wei Kan, to Maoshan.

Now, the incense at Maoshan is very prosperous. The mountain path is crowded with devout men and women seeking fortunes, blessings, and fortune-telling. Red ropes are tied to the trees on both sides, hanging with various sizes of peace talismans. Some of the most devout even prostrate themselves step by step from the foot of the mountain to the gate. Young Daoists in gray robes smile and welcome the believers, explaining some Daoist rituals or mythological stories to them.

Yue Qing and his three companions first paid homage to the statues of the Three Pure Ones, then found a young Daoist who was grinning at a donation box filled with copper coins and asked, "Why is the Shangqing Palace sealed? Where is your great-grandmaster now?"

The young Daoist was taken aback: "My great-grandmaster went out with the uncles today to perform a ritual for a wealthy family. It's said that the family was possessed by evil spirits, and the three concubines were wielding knives and slashing people."

Yue Qing was also stunned: "Is your great-grandmaster Mao Taichong?"

The young Daoist was even more confused: "Who is Mao Taichong? My great-grandmaster is the Master of Jiuxiao Palace, Daoist Ge Xianweng."

"Daoist Ge Xianweng?" Yue Qing frowned and thought hard, "Is he Jianzhen Ge?"

The young Daoist was angry: "How dare you call my great-grandmaster by his name?"

Yue Qing smiled: "If your great-grandmaster is Jianzhen Ge, then your second great-grandmaster must be Jianchang Bai. Is he on the mountain?"

The young Daoist was indignant: "You are so impolite! I won't tell you!" He was about to leave with the donation box.

"Wait, don't go yet." Yue Qing held him back and took out a handful of silver ingots with plum blossoms from his treasure bag, waving them in front of the young Daoist. "If you tell me where your second great-grandmaster is, I'll give these to you, okay?"

The young Daoist pouted: "Put them in the box first, then I'll tell you." Yue Qing put the silver ingots in the donation box as instructed, and the young Daoist laughed, "My second great-grandmaster is in the Yuanshu Palace. He is the Master there. You can ask anyone." He was afraid Yue Qing would take the silver ingots back, so he ran into the crowd with the donation box.

Jianchang Bai, a middle-aged Daoist in his forties, was wearing a yellow Daoist robe and was performing a ritual on a pile of peach wood and red ropes tied into peace talismans. Since Maoshan no longer teaches Daoist techniques to disciples, he had to do everything himself. Recently, the world was not peaceful, and evil spirits were causing chaos everywhere. Many people came to seek talismans, and he had to refine and bless more than ten thousand peace talismans every day. He couldn't be careless and ruin the reputation of the Maoshan Sect, so he was extremely busy.

Hearing a small disciple report, "A Daoist from Wutai Mountain named Yue Qinfeng is outside and wants to see you."

Jianchang Bai had just finished the ritual, sweating profusely, and was wiping his face with a fragrant towel. Upon hearing this, he coldly snorted, "Who cares if it's Yue Qinfeng or Yue Rinfeng? If he's a traveling Daoist, tell him to go to Baiyun Temple to find Brother Ke. What is he doing at my Yuanshu Palace!" He threw the towel on the tray and was about to go to the back hall to rest. After taking two steps, he suddenly stopped, "What did you say? His name is Yue Qinfeng? From Wutai Mountain?"

The small disciple was about to go out to drive the person away but was stopped by his master. He nodded, and then saw his master run out without any dignity. He was so surprised that his mouth dropped open, and he stood there in a daze.

Outside the Yuanshu Palace, Wei Kan said to Yue Qinfeng, "Uncle, are you really that familiar with them? Why don't they recognize you?"

Yue Qinfeng said, "When my master was alive, Maoshan was not like this. I haven't been here for over thirty years. Now I can't find Daoist Maolao, but finding his great-granddisciple is also fine. Jianchang Bai still recognizes me."

At this moment, a group of Daoists rushed out of the Yuanshu Palace. The leader, a plump and fair-skinned Daoist in a yellow robe, was Jianchang Bai. He almost ran over, "Uncle Yue! It's been over thirty years, and you still look as youthful as ever! I'll kowtow to you!" He knelt down and kowtowed without a word.

Yue Qinfeng helped him up and looked him over, "Are you Jianchang? You were as thin as a bamboo pole when you were a child. How did you get so fat now?"

Jianchang Bai smiled, "Uncle, you haven't changed a bit. Just like before." He then told his disciples and granddisciples, "This is my uncle. Kneel down and kowtow!" The Daoists all knelt down, calling him Uncle, Great Uncle, and even Great-Great Uncle. Yue Qing suddenly felt several hundred years older.

Yue Qing wanted to give something as a gift, but there were too many disciples and granddisciples, and none of them had any cultivation. Giving them immortal items would be useless, and immortal pills would be harmful to those without any foundation, turning into poison.

Jianchang Bai waved his hand, "Uncle, don't worry about them. Let's go inside and talk!" They entered the Yuanshu Palace, and Jianchang Bai ordered tea to be served. "My master and uncles are now cultivating in Huayang Cave and Yuzhu Cave. They have entrusted all external affairs to us. I have already sent someone to inform them. Uncle, please wait a moment and try my Wuyi Immortal Tea."

Yue Qing took a sip of the tea and nodded in approval, then asked, "Why is the Maoshan Sect in such a state now? I originally planned to go straight to Taqing Palace but found it sealed. How is Daoist Maolao? Is he also in Huayang Cave?"

"My great-grandmaster ascended to immortality ten years ago. Before he left, he instructed my master to take charge and said that the rise of the Emei Sect is inevitable. He told us not to participate in the disputes of the world and to remain low-key, waiting for the right time."

"Daoist Maolao has ascended? That's truly a cause for celebration."

Yue Qing was about to ask more about Maoshan when a flash of sword light appeared outside, followed by a chorus of exclamations. Two young Daoists, identical in height, appearance, and attire, with arched eyebrows and bright eyes, wearing jade crowns and blue robes, rushed in like the wind. Seeing Yue Qing, they smiled, "Brother Yue! How did you have the time to visit Maoshan?"

These two were the second and third disciples of Daoist Maolao, Liu Buxuan and Liu Buxu, twin brothers who looked exactly the same and had the same level of Daoist powers. More amazingly, they had a natural connection, able to sense each other's condition no matter how far apart they were or what barriers existed. When Yue Qinfeng and his master were refining swords on Maoshan, he often practiced sword techniques with these two brothers, forming a close bond.

"Brother Yue!" Liu Buxu, the more outgoing of the two, gave Yue Qing a bear hug, "You finally came to see us!"

They greeted each other joyfully. Yue Qing introduced Liu Quan to them, and they all sat down again.

Yue Qing asked about the current state of Maoshan. Liu Buxuan said somberly, "Before my master ascended, he predicted that the Emei Sect would become powerful, and it would be difficult to change this situation. He repeatedly instructed us to remain low-key and endure any humiliation, or Maoshan would face destruction. He said that after a hundred years, after the Emei Sect's third sword duel, many of their experts would ascend, and then Maoshan would see a new dawn and rise again."

"Is that what Daoist Maolao said?" Yue Qing felt uncomfortable but, since it was their master's instruction, he didn't want to say anything about the futility of human efforts. After all, they were not his Wutai Sect comrades. "Why didn't I see Brother Buxiao this time?"

"Crack!" Liu Buxuan crushed a fine porcelain teacup into pieces, scalding tea spilling everywhere. "The Emei Sect is utterly despicable! If my master hadn't repeatedly instructed us not to oppose them before he ascended, I would have already stormed Emei Mountain and fought them to the death!"

Yue Qing was stunned and quickly asked what had happened.

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