Longhu Mountain, located in Tan City, Jiangxi Province.
In the middle of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Daoling, the founder of Zhengyi Dao, once refined pills here. Legend has it that upon completion, dragons and tigers appeared, and Longhu Mountain was thus named.
It is also the birthplace of Taoism in China, the ancestral court of the Zhengyi sect, renowned throughout the world for its supreme Daoist lineage and profound Yin-Yang principles.
Wan Yunting and Zhang Xian'er, along with the fox demon Fan Sien, flew directly from the capital to Tan City. After disembarking, they saw disciples from Longhu Mountain personally driving to the airport to pick them up.
"Martial Aunt Xian'er..."
The ones picking them up were junior disciples from Longhu Mountain, who respectfully greeted Zhang Xian'er.
"Mm."
Although Zhang Xian'er was around their age, she was a direct disciple of the Old Heavenly Master, holding a higher辈分 (bèifèn - generational status). Even the Sect Leader Zhang Xuanliang had to call her Martial Aunt.
"Hey, get in the car."
Zhang Xian'er, who had been carrying the sack containing the fox demon Fan Sien, glanced at Wan Yunting and directly got into the car.
The junior disciples of Longhu Mountain regarded Wan Yunting with surprise. They knew who he was, but they hadn't expected Martial Aunt Xian'er to bring him back to Longhu Mountain with her.
"What, Wan Yunting is also here?"
When Heavenly Master Zhao Yi Wu received the call from his disciple, he learned that Zhang Xian'er had brought Wan Yunting back to Longhu Mountain with her. This made him raise an eyebrow, and he hurried to find the Sect Leader elder brother, Zhang Xuanliang.
At the Sect Leader's residence, Zhang Xuanliang, clad in a magnificent Daoist robe, was seen meditating on the terrace of a pavilion built between cliff faces, facing the southern mountains, his eyes closed to nurture his spirit.
"Martial Uncle Zhao, why have you come?"
A disciple wearing the standard Daoist robes of Longhu Mountain, tall and handsome, named Huang Jingyan, Zhang Xuanliang's disciple, was sweeping fallen leaves in the courtyard. Upon seeing Zhao Yi Wu rushing over, he quickly bowed and greeted him.
"Jingyan, is your master in?" Zhao Yi Wu asked.
"Yes, he's meditating on the terrace to nurture his spirit," Huang Jingyan replied, nodding.
Without another word, Zhao Yi Wu entered the pavilion and went upstairs to the living room on the second floor. Seeing his Sect Leader elder brother meditating on the terrace outside, he softly called out from a distance, "Elder Brother, I need to speak with you!"
Zhang Xuanliang then opened his eyes and slowly rose.
Zhao Yi Wu immediately entered and said, "Martial Aunt Xian'er went to the capital to capture the fox demon Fan Sien and also brought Wan Yunting back!"
"Oh?"
Zhang Xuanliang sat on a wooden stool by the tea table, picking up the teapot to pour tea. He also gestured for Zhao Yi Wu to sit down and said with a smile, "Sect Master Wan is visiting our Longhu Mountain, so of course, we should welcome him. When will Martial Aunt Xian'er be back?"
"In about an hour."
Zhao Yi Wu sat down, but his gaze was filled with worry as he looked at Zhang Xuanliang. "Elder Brother, if other sects find out that Martial Aunt Xian'er brought Wan Yunting to our Longhu Mountain at this time, they might misunderstand us!"
Zhang Xuanliang poured him a cup of tea and said with a smile, "You're worrying too much."
"It's not that I'm worrying too much."
Zhao Yi Wu frowned. "The Wudang Sect is an example right now. And Wan Yunting might genuinely know the whereabouts of the Demonic Cult's Demon Pool. If other sects learn that Martial Aunt Xian'er brought him to our Longhu Mountain, they will surely believe that we privately invited Wan Yunting to Longhu Mountain!"
Zhang Xuanliang took a sip of tea from his cup and put it down with a smile. "Let them think what they will. But why did Martial Aunt Xian'er bring Sect Master Wan to our Longhu Mountain? Could it be that the Old Heavenly Master wants to see Wan Yunting?"
"I don't know."
Zhao Yi Wu shook his head. They had no right to manage Zhang Xian'er, nor could they control her. They didn't know why she brought Wan Yunting back to Longhu Mountain.
He then said, "Elder Brother, now that Wan Yunting is here at Longhu Mountain, should we privately ask him about the whereabouts of the Demonic Cult's Demon Pool?"
"Absolutely not!"
Zhang Xuanliang waved his hand without hesitation, cutting off Zhao Yi Wu, and said solemnly, "We are not the Wudang Sect, nor are we Zhong Yulong. Even if we truly knew the whereabouts of the Demonic Cult's Demon Pool, our Longhu Mountain has no need to get involved."
Zhao Yi Wu nodded, understanding his meaning.
"Our Longhu Mountain does not compete or scramble. There is no need to fight for mere fame or material things over the Demon Pool," Zhang Xuanliang said, pouring himself more tea. "Our Longhu Mountain has its own Daoist tradition and its own unique inheritance."
"If we were like the Wudang Sect and other sects, fighting for other sects' martial arts for personal gain, perhaps even resorting to unorthodox methods, then in the future, they would surely stray from the right path!"
"What Elder Brother says makes sense," Zhao Yi Wu nodded.
This was also why Zhang Xuanliang rarely appeared at major sect events!
He would only show up for significant martial arts conferences and events, or he would send other Heavenly Masters to attend as a formality, aiming to avoid being labeled as unsociable by other major sects!
But Longhu Mountain truly disdained competing with other sects for the Demonic Cult's Demon Pool.
Because they still had the living fossil, the Old Heavenly Master, who could be said to be the undisputed number one in the entire Chinese martial arts world!
"Let's go, we should personally go and welcome Sect Master Wan..."
Zhang Xuanliang, who had been sitting for a while, got up and intended to personally go to the main gate of the Heavenly Master Mansion of Longhu Mountain to welcome them.
"Master, where are you going?" his disciple Huang Jingyan asked as he saw his master and the others coming out.
Zhang Xuanliang smiled, "Jingyan, go and inform the others. Accompany me to the main gate to welcome your Martial Aunt Xian'er and Sect Master Wan Yunting!"
Huang Jingyan's expression stiffened. He looked at his master and Martial Uncle Zhao Yi Wu leaving with great surprise before reacting. He quickly took out his phone, opened WeChat, and sent a message to their Longhu Mountain disciple group, notifying everyone to gather at the main gate.
"What, that Wan Yunting is here at our Longhu Mountain?"
"The Sect Leader is personally going to welcome him, it must be true!"
"Tsk tsk, Wan Yunting is coming to our Longhu Mountain at this time, the major sects will misunderstand again!"
"Hmph, who cares about them. I'm just curious why Wan Yunting is here at our Longhu Mountain. What is his purpose?"
"Let's go, let's go, we'll know when we see..."
Upon receiving the notification, many disciples of Longhu Mountain, as well as other Heavenly Masters, rushed to the entrance of the Heavenly Master Mansion to see what Wan Yunting was here to do at Longhu Mountain.
An hour later, two cars slowly stopped on the plaza at the entrance of the Heavenly Master Mansion.
As Zhang Xian'er led the way out of the car with the sack, Wan Yunting followed closely behind. However, seeing Zhang Xuanliang with a group of Heavenly Masters in magnificent Daoist robes, along with disciples, walking towards them from a distance, Wan Yunting's expression froze. He exclaimed in surprise, "What's going on?"
"Martial Aunt Xian'er, you've captured the fox demon Fan?" Zhang Xuanliang first asked Zhang Xian'er with a smile.
"Mm, here it is."
Zhang Xian'er held up the sack containing the fox demon Fan Sien for him to see. She then asked, "Why are so many of you coming out?"
Zhang Xuanliang looked at the approaching Wan Yunting and smiled, "Naturally, we're here to welcome Sect Master Wan."
"Him, what's so special about welcoming him."
Zhang Xian'er glanced at Wan Yunting. Zhang Xuanliang smiled, "Martial Aunt Xian'er, please don't say that. Sect Master Wan is our esteemed guest on his first visit to our Longhu Mountain."
Zhang Xian'er was unconcerned. Zhang Xuanliang stepped forward and performed the customary greeting gesture of Longhu Mountain towards Wan Yunting, smiling, "Sect Master Wan, welcome to our Longhu Mountain."
"Greetings, Sect Leader Zhang..."
Wan Yunting clasped his fists and returned the greeting politely to Zhang Xuanliang.
Perhaps because of Zhang Xian'er, and their Old Heavenly Master, Wan Yunting did not feel so averse to the people of Longhu Mountain. Instead, he found the people of Longhu Mountain to be more genuine.
"By the way, it was my master who wanted to see him, so I brought him along," Zhang Xian'er then said to Zhang Xuanliang.
"So that's how it is."
Zhang Xuanliang nodded. Zhao Yi Wu and the other Heavenly Masters also nodded in unison. So it was the Old Heavenly Master who wanted to see Wan Yunting.
"Sect Master Wan, please come in..."
Zhang Xuanliang politely invited Wan Yunting to enter the Heavenly Master Mansion.
"Alright, Sect Leader Zhang, please..."
Wan Yunting also smiled politely and entered the Heavenly Master Mansion with Zhang Xuanliang, looking around his surroundings.
One had to admit that the Heavenly Master Mansion of Longhu Mountain was indeed extraordinary. The buildings were grand and magnificent, with many newly constructed halls and publicly accessible areas. Longhu Mountain was also a scenic spot, attracting a large number of tourists each year. Therefore, the Heavenly Master Mansion of Longhu Mountain was quite prosperous.
Although the disciples of Longhu Mountain could not compare to those of the Wudang Sect, every disciple who entered the Heavenly Master Mansion was a talent.
As Zhang Xuanliang led Wan Yunting towards the main hall, he also introduced the environment within the Heavenly Master Mansion, offering Wan Yunting the highest level of reception.
After all, Zhang Xuanliang was too lazy to personally come out to welcome visitors from other sects. Wan Yunting was simply a special case.