Three years have passed, Lord Lao Zi descended to this place, Yin Xi ca as promised, and Lord Lao Zi manifested his true form, seated on the Lotus Platform as Yin Xi expounded Daoist skills.
From then on, it solidified the status of Qingyang Palace.
During the Tang Dynasty, Xizong fled to Shu to avoid the rebellion of Huang Chao and stationed himself here.
Inside the temple, he saw a red light like a ball entering the ground, dug up jade bricks engraved with ancient seal script: "Supre Peace and Neutralization of Disasters," which he considered an auspicious sign.
Whether it was human intervention or not, Qingyang Palace received court funding for construction, thereby transforming from a "temple" to a "palace," reaching its current scale.
For this reason, Qingyang Palace has a special status.
They partake more in mundane affairs and are not too impressed with the prospering Qingcheng Mountain; also, they maintain close ties with Shu Prince Mansion.
If infiltrated by King Shu, it would indeed be a major trouble.
Pondering this, Li Yan lowered his bamboo hat, used the Dragon and Snake Card to restrain his aura, and from a nearby stall, purchased so incense and candle offerings, blending into the crowd as a pilgrim.
After waiting for a long ti, he finally passed through the mountain gate.
Entering Qingyang Palace itself, the place was equally bustling with visitors.
The layout of Qingyang Palace included the Three Pure Ones Hall and Eight Trigrams Pavilion at the front, followed by the Mixed Elent Hall, Doula Hall, and Jade Emperor Hall.
Today, the focus is on offering incense there.
And so, pilgrims could be seen stepping into the snow pits, heading towards the Three Pure Ones Hall.
A salt rchant clad in silk padded jackets tossed silver pieces into the rit box, and the copper coin clattered against the pine wood box bottom with a muffled sound...
An elderly woman with a bamboo basket pulled frozen rice cakes from her basket, trembling, and placed them on the offering table...
Nurous incense sticks rose densely, azure smoke swirling and ascending, enveloping the plaque titled "Qingyang Sacred Realm" in a hazy mist.
Li Yan first entered the Three Pure Ones Hall to offer incense.
Like other places, upon entering the hall, the Power of Incense was potent, and coupled with the arrangent below, it directly isolated the Divine Skills.
Although Li Yan could use the identity of the Heavenly Official to expel it, the commotion would be too large, thus he rely posed as a regular pilgrim, respectfully offered incense, and left.
anwhile, he also paid attention to the surrounding happenings.
The intelligence provided by Liang Yu ntioned that the statue of Lord Lao Zi in Qingyang Palace shed blood tears, an ominous sign, yet the Taoists inside seed unaffected...
Li Yan found it peculiar, left the Three Pure Ones Hall, and followed the crowd along the left corridor of the main hall, where another palace appeared before his eyes.
That was the Mixed Elent Hall, primarily dedicated to the Ancestor of Mixed Elents, Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad.
Li Yan followed the crowd, but his gaze drifted towards the other side.
There stood an Eight Trigrams Pavilion, adorned with double-eave phoenix curls, surrounded by turtle-patterned partitions and cloud-flower carved windows, equally piled with offerings, drawing a heap of people praying.
Inside, Lord Lao Zi riding a Green Ox was enshrined.
The statue shedding blood tears was this very effigy.
However, Li Yan took just one glance and paid no further attention.
Though the statue was archaic in design, the effigy of Lord Lao Zi riding a Green Ox had been swapped, fooling ordinary people yet unable to deceive him.
Soone in Qingyang Palace deliberately suppressed this matter!
Li Yan pondered, following the crowd towards the Mixed Elent Hall.
After walking a few steps, he suddenly strained his ears slightly, holding a basket full of offerings, pretending inadvertently, walked to the other side of the main hall.
There he saw a Powerful Warrior statue squatting beneath the roof ridge of a columnar stone platform, snow piled atop its shoulders and head, showing a sowhat clumsy appearance.
A child wearing a tiger head hat pointed at the Powerful Warrior statue and shouted, while a poor scholar in a patched cotton robe quickly covered the child’s mouth: "We mustn’t offend this Mystic Sect protector."
Having said that, he explained, "This Powerful Warrior originally incarnated as the head of the Imperial Guards during Tang Xizong’s escape, who wielded a spear to protect Daoism."
Li Yan’s thoughts stirred; he feigned curiosity and stepped forward to ask with clasped hands, "Sir, may I ask the significance of this statue?"
Seeing soone inquire, the poor scholar imdiately flaunted his knowledge, "Are you a traveler from afar? This statue is indeed a piece of strange news."
"Back when Tang Xizong fled, a fiend pursued him here from the rear, but his guards held firm until Heavenly Thunder descended and struck dead the fiend."
"See its arm?"
"That’s the scorch mark from when it was struck by Heavenly Thunder upon the fiend."
Upon hearing these words, Li Yan glanced, indeed witnessing a scorch mark on the statue’s right arm, though the age was ancient, the color was distinctly different from its surroundings.
With his explanation finished, the poor scholar clasped his hands and left with the child.
Li Yan, however, subtly approached and strained his ears.
From within the stone Powerful Warrior statue, an indistinct shout erged:
"Fiend, withdraw! Withdraw!"
Li Yan narrowed his eyes silently and departed.
This fiend evidently did not refer to him.
The stone statue, struck by thunder and nurtured by incense until now, has likely developed spirituality, becoming a protector of the mountain gate, but its capabilities are limited, and the Taoists cannot comprehend the language of Ghost Gods.
What’s really happening inside Qingyang Palace...
Li Yan proceeded calmly, following the citizens in succession to offer incense.
Shortly after, they arrived outside the Jade Emperor Hall.
Today is the ti to welco the Jade Emperor, and the place was packed, impenetrable. A tall magic platform was erected on the plaza in front of the hall, flags fluttering, and incense and candles wafting blue smoke in the wind and snow.
A dozen Daoists stood guard with their backs, forbidding others to approach.
This is to hold the Jade Emperor ritual, and the surrounding populace is waiting.
Li Yan carried a basket, blended into the crowd, and stood under the west corridor, where he looked up and saw paintings on the architrave: Mystical Emperor, with disheveled hair and bare feet, stepping on a tortoise and snake, surrounded by seventy-two Earth Evil stars.
Exquisite, ancient, with a long-lasting charm.
It’s hard to believe that any demonic force would dare approach.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Suddenly, three chis rang out through the snow curtain.
A group of elderly Daoists wearing vestnt robes, holding wooden ceremonial tablets and gold-plated Jade Emperor statues, stepped out of the Jade Emperor Hall with Four-direction Steps.
Amid the sound of drum music, accompanied by chanting, they stepped onto the magic platform in sequence.
After placing the Jade Emperor statue, they swung the Jade Emperor banner, performing Astral Step Fighting, chanting magic spells, and the sound of the copper bell at the end of the banner continuously echoed.
Next to the offering table, Taoists continuously threw Yellow Paper into a copper basin.
The blue smoke lingered and rose, in the wind and snow, it condensed into four big characters "Favorable weather and abundant rain," carried by the wind over the heads of the populace.
"Heavenly Venerate bless us!"
In front, the richly dressed rchants suddenly cried out with tears in their eyes.
"Heavenly Venerate bless us!"
In the blink of an eye, the entire courtyard of people knelt down, their sheepskin coats, cotton clothes, brocade cloaks spread out on the snow like a colorful picture scroll.
Seeing this, Li Yan frowned.
This isn’t a miracle, but a phenonon created using spells.
Ordinary people cannot see the flow of Astral Bane Energy, hence Jianghu sorcerers always create so spectacle when they help others, lest they be called frauds.
Even they have done this kind of thing.
But the Mystic Sect’s orthodox practice is different.
Unless necessary, there’s no need to create such a scene.
Qingyang Palace doesn’t lack incense offerings nor fear ridicule.
With the entire courtyard knelt down, Li Yan, still standing upright, beca evident, attracting many gazes.
Li Yan, with a calm face, turned to leave.
He certainly wouldn’t kneel, nor did he want to invite trouble.
"Li... Young Hero?"
At this mont, a clear voice ca from the left.
Seeing a Daoist approaching with others, who first froze, then broke into a smile upon seeing him, "Young Hero Li has co to Qingyang Palace, why not seek out this humble Daoist to fulfill the duty of a host."
Li Yan, helpless, turned and clasped his hands in respect:
"I greet Daoist Yun Lingzi."
The visitor was the Daoist he t outside Shennongjia at Dragon Pond Village.
This Daoist was tasked with suppressing the Dragon Lady, informing him about matters regarding the River God and the Dragon Lady.
After the Shennongjia affair was over and the Dragon Lady ceased its activity, the Daoist left Dragon Pond Village to return to Qingyang Palace and report back.
When leaving, he even invited him to co to Chengdu for a visit.
If previously, upon arriving, Li Yan would have certainly visited first.
But these days, the more he thought, the more things seed amiss.
Qingyang Palace in Chengdu, to pay attention to a Dragon Lady in an unremarkable village far away in Shennongjia, might not just be out of concern for the world.
His attitude was neither cold nor warm, but the face of Yun Lingzi before him seed not to notice, full of enthusiasm, saying: "Co, co, co, I have so good tea, perfect for Young Hero Li to taste."
With that, he went forward and grasped Li Yan’s hand.
Seemingly warm, yet he squeezed it with force.
Li Yan understood the gesture, smiled, and replied: "If so, I shall trouble the Daoist."
The two quickly left the courtyard, leaving the sound of drum music and chanting behind.
Soon after, they arrived at a small courtyard.
Yun Lingzi turned around, calmly instructing the young Taoists: "Go about your business, I’m eting with an old friend."
"Yes, uncle."
The young Taoists respectfully left.
Yun Lingzi then led Li Yan into the tea room.
As soon as they entered, he promptly closed the door, his face grim, teeth clenched, asking: "Young Hero Li, there’s major trouble brewing!"
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