Chapter 7: Peach Blossom Spring |
And so, on the brink of life and death, facing that powerful palm, a familiar sensation arose within Niu You Dao. He saw a blood-colored amulet emerge from his head and, in an instant, collide with Tang Su Su's palm.
Bang!
A deafening roar erupted, and warm air surged outwards in all directions, making even the grass and trees sway violently. Niu You Dao was sent flying back several paces, colliding with the mountainside.
— Doctrine-Transmitting Amulet! — Luo Yuan Gong and Su Po muttered in unison, looking at Tang Su Su.
Tang Su Su froze in place, no longer thinking of attacking.
The Doctrine-Transmitting Amulet is a forgotten technique of the Supreme Purity Sect. Only inner disciples can cultivate it, and not everyone can comprehend it. Only those who can create formations can succeed in this teaching. Moreover, usually, no one cultivates such methods, because for themselves, these methods are useless. This method is intended only for another cultivator. And whoever uses this method expends their own power to advance another's cultivation, receiving nothing in return.
Currently, in the Supreme Purity Sect, only Dong Guo Hao Ran knew this method. Luo Yuan Gong and Su Po could not use this method. This speaks to supreme skill in creating formations.
The fact that Niu You Dao possessed a Doctrine-Transmitting Amulet definitively confirmed that Niu You Dao was Dong Guo Hao Ran's disciple. And Dong Guo Hao Ran, in his muddled state of mind, certainly could not have used such complex magic and incantations.
Niu You Dao felt something flicker within his mind. Then he stood up and found everyone staring at him. Some glared at him furiously, especially Tang Su Su, like a vicious dog ready to tear him apart.
— What? What does this mean?— The crowd was astonished.
They realized he was about to leave them. Su Po flashed and blocked his path:
— Where are you going?
Niu You Dao: My apologies. I seem to have disturbed you. I must have come to the wrong place.
After speaking, he walked around Su Po and continued on his way. The grass rustled with sound as he dragged the stretcher.
Many thought he was acting like a child. After all, he wasn't yet a man by age.
Su Po looked at Tang Su Su and gave her a signal to apologize.
Tang Su Su shook her head, indicating she had no intention of apologizing.
Having no other choice, Su Po once again blocked Niu You Dao's path, and sighing again, said:
— There was a misunderstanding just now. You have found the right place.
— No, this is wrong. I must take my master back home.
Niu You Dao stood his ground and walked around Su Po once more.
His words made many feel awkward. Tang Yi, standing nearby, wanted to say something, but it wasn't her turn. After all, the elders were here. She certainly couldn't make decisions yet.
Su Po reached out and grabbed Niu You Dao's shoulder. He held him and, in a warm tone, began to persuade him:
— It's all correct. This is the Supreme Purity Sect. Follow me! — As he spoke, he snatched the vine and pulled it off him.
Niu You Dao raised his hands and held them to his chest, not holding onto the vine.
Niu You Dao was currently wearing a padded robe, worn-out open-toed shoes, and smelled of fish. A bamboo pipe and a knife also stuck out from his waist. His entire face was smeared with grime.
Did he even know how unsightly he looked?
Su Po smiled bitterly and called for two assistants. They grabbed Niu You Dao from both sides.
— What are you doing?— Niu You Dao immediately shouted and tried to struggle.
The two disciples paid him no mind and, with a swift movement, carried him deep into the forest.
Su Po again summoned two disciples and ordered them to carry away Dong Guo Hao Ran's body, then told the remaining disciples to disperse. In the end, only the three elders remained on the spot. At this moment, Luo Yuan Gong said to Tang Su Su:
— Junior Sister just crossed the line.
Tang Su Su replied in a cold tone:
— This fellow is spouting nonsense. Who knows who sent him to us.
Luo Yuan Gong: And how do you explain the Doctrine-Transmitting Amulets?
Tang Su Su twisted her lips:
— Did you hear how he talks? He's a bumpkin.
Luo Yuan Gong: That needs to be slowly investigated. But it's not good to kill people immediately without investigating anything. Are you afraid he'll become the Sect Head?
Tang Su Su averted her gaze and replied, her tone no longer cold:
— Second Brother, you think too much. Dong Guo Hao Ran had many disciples; how could the position of Sect Head fall to this vagrant?
Luo Yuan Gong shook his head:
— Dong Guo led disciples out of the sect, and now only his body has returned. I fear the situation is the same as with Tang Mu. But fortunately, Dong Guo left a Doctrine-Transmitting Amulet to one person. And if not for that, this boy wouldn't have been able to come here. I fear there is no other way, and it will be as it is. I don't believe you haven't considered this.
Tang Su Su looked towards the Supreme Purity Sect and said in a gloomy voice:
— If that is truly the case, then according to the laws of our ancestors, are you brothers prepared to place an unknown boy in the position of Supreme Purity Sect Head?
Luo Yuan Gong cried out, displeased:
— Then what are you doing? Do you think all the disciples are idiots? Do you think they won't discern your intentions? Why did Tang Mu specifically reveal his last will to all the disciples? Precisely so that no one could distort his wishes. What will the disciples think of your actions? Are you prepared to bear the responsibility for intentionally murdering the Sect Head? And when the time comes to choose a new head, how will you convince the masses of your righteousness? Or do you wish to sow the seeds of disorder and chaos within the sect? Foolish!
Tang Su Su remained silent, her expression stony.
Niu You Dao was bathing in a hot spring within the mountain. He felt comfortable now. He recalled everything that had happened to him over the past few days. How he had arrived at the mystical tomb crypt, where he found an underground palace. Then he had entered this world. And now he had arrived at this sect. Everything seemed hazy, like a fog. He couldn't see anything clearly. Perhaps it wasn't even happening to him.
As he rummaged through his mind in search of answers, he gradually sorted out the sequence of events. This allowed him to calm his mind.
After his bath, he stood up, clean and tidy, and donned a gray robe of the Supreme Purity Sect. He tied his hair into a ponytail.
The interesting thing was that he had never before grown his hair so long or tied it into a ponytail. How does one even tie it?
Beyond this gorge stood three disciples, whom Niu You Dao had seen before. At their head stood an arrogant man with excellent manners. His name was Song Yang Qing. The others were named Cheng Gui Shuo and Su Yi Tian. Both seemed to defer to Song Yang Qing. The brothers appeared friendly amongst themselves.
The Supreme Purity Sect had assigned these three individuals to guard Niu You Dao.
Seeing Niu You Dao emerge, all three were surprised.
As the saying goes: clothes make the man. A horse needs a saddle, and Niu You Dao needed a proper attire. Furthermore, his experience as Lord Dao, and his understanding of how to conduct himself... All of it now lent him an air of elegance.
Approaching the three men, Niu You Dao adjusted his attire and asked:
— Could you please inform the masters that I wish to see the Sect Head!
He had already requested to see the Sect Head an unknown number of times. He had not yet completed Dong Guo Hao Ran's dying wish.
Song Yang Qing looked at him disdainfully:
— You want to see the Sect Head? Just meekly follow us.
— Let's go! — Cheng Gui Shuo and Su Yi Tian began to push Niu You Dao.
Pushed by the three disciples, Niu You Dao didn't know when he had managed to offend these three gentlemen. They hadn't treated him well from the very beginning.
Thus, escorted by the three men, Niu You Dao reached the cliff, and they ascended along its edge. Halfway up the slope, Niu You Dao began to see structures. From every angle, it looked magnificent. Evidently, this was an important place in the Supreme Purity Sect.
When they reached the peak of the cliff, an ancient palace could be seen, and at the edge of the precipice, a peach tree. It was beautiful. Atop the tree, blossoms as pink as dawn adorned its branches. When the wind blew, the petals fell. These petals truly captivated everyone. Niu You Dao couldn't help but exclaim:
— Can peaches really blossom at this time of year?— Cheng Gui Shuo, walking behind him, laughed and said:
— Haven't you seen it? This peach tree is already over a thousand years old. It has been blooming for a long time. Later, when the sect founder came here, he severed the tree's root of wisdom, and now this tree stands here like a cliff, blooming continuously. No matter the season—autumn, winter, spring, or summer—the peach tree has been blooming continuously for several hundred years. This is a marvel of our Supreme Purity Sect.
When Niu You Dao heard this, he was surprised. And Song Yang Qing spoke in a cold tone:
— Why are you talking to him?
Cheng Gui Shuo immediately fell silent, feeling awkward.
They thus arrived at a palace. Niu You Dao looked at the plaque above the door; the characters "Peach Blossom Spring" were engraved there!
Song Yang Qing stopped before him and, looking at the palace, said:
— This is Uncle Dong Guo's residence. You can temporarily stay here for now. You must not wander about, or your legs will be broken. Understand clearly?
Niu You Dao furrowed his brows:
— Before his death, Master instructed me to see the Sect Head.
— Get in!
Su Yi Tian grabbed him by the collar and flung him into the courtyard. And immediately prepared to close the door.
Niu You Dao, who had almost fallen, steadied himself and headed back. Pushing the doors open, he shouted angrily:
— What do you mean by this? Am I a prisoner here?
Song Yang Qing turned and said with a cold smile:
— Don't make noise and don't wander where you shouldn't. Who knows, you might accidentally fall off the cliff. His words clearly contained a threat. And slowly turning, he left.
— The weather is fine! — Niu You Dao looked up and closed his eyes.
The people outside spoke of murder. In his previous life, he was called Lord Dao. That name was revered in the underworld.
— Haha! What else is he plotting? — The three men outside laughed.
Taking a deep breath, Niu You Dao quickly suppressed his anger and calmed down very quickly. Then he began to feel joyful and paid no attention to the mockery outside. He calmed his mind.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he began to stroll through the ancient courtyard. The structures here had curved roofs, like those in ancient China. They looked elegant and superb. The atmosphere here was pleasant; an idyllic tranquility reigned.
In the middle of the courtyard grew a huge tree that nearly touched the sky. A stone platform was laid around it, and an altar stood before it. And upon the altar itself, a sword hung horizontally.
Niu You Dao approached it and lightly drew the sword. A cold gleam shone from the scabbard. He immediately swung the sword, and in its reflection, saw a silhouette. A murmur rose:
— Where deep chasms, towering mountains, and distant reaches lie, the three-chi sword still rests within the Peach Blossom Spring!
(chi = foot).