novelraw Chapter 94: The Moon Shines on Past and Present; The Curtain Falls on Splendor
Chapter 94: The Moon Shines on Past and Present; The Curtain Falls on Splendor
As evening fell, the clashes between the young Saint Experts in Dragon Tiger Town had nearly come to an end.
To ordinary people, this might have been just another ordinary day, but to the Elder Celestial Master standing atop Dragon Tiger Mountain Peak, it held a different kind of splendor.
A night where fish and dragons danced.
He watched as those distinct, youthful auras converged and intertwined, as if he were watching a grand play from afar, or perhaps seeing a reflection of his own magnificent past.
The thrill of Magical Combat, the arrogance of youth, the passion burning bright.
However, all banquets must come to an end, and no play goes on forever.
He quietly watched as those auras finally separated, scattering to different parts of the city, then gradually retracting and vanishing.
Within Dragon Tiger Town, the tranquility of the night was restored once more.
Only the waning moon in the sky remained, its light shining upon the past and present alike.
The splendor faded, leaving a sense of desolation in its wake.
The Elder Celestial Master looked up at the bright moon, his expression shifting several times before finally settling back into tranquility and peace.
"Master."
Just then, a voice came from behind. A young man with an androgynous face approached the Elder Celestial Master. He wore a Daoist Robe with his hair tied up, looking much like a university student.
"Taifeng, it’s you."
A faint smile appeared on the Elder Celestial Master’s face.
"Master, I..."
Zhang Taifeng opened his mouth but hesitated, seeming to struggle with his words.
"I know. The burden of inheriting the title of Celestial Master is a heavy one, and I know some of your martial brothers secretly don’t accept it. But you are the best choice. This world belongs to the young. Among all your martial brothers on Dragon Tiger Mountain, you have the highest talent, the purest heart, and the most far-reaching aspirations. In the future, your accomplishments will surely be no less than my own."
The Elder Celestial Master said, smiling.
"Master, with your Cultivation, combined with the preparations on Dragon Tiger Mountain, Corpse Dissolution shouldn’t be difficult. The state would surely permit it, just like it did for that person from the Western Regions. It’s a viable option."
"I am still young, and my Cultivation is insufficient. Dragon Tiger Mountain still needs you to preside over it..."
Zhang Taifeng said, dropping to his knees with a THUD.
BOOM!!
Hearing this, the Elder Celestial Master’s eyes instantly grew sharp. He kicked out fiercely, sending Zhang Taifeng’s kneeling form flying backward to slam heavily against the trunk of a large tree.
The tree shuddered, its leaves raining down.
"You damn fool! Do you not know of the great terror that lies between life and death? Once Corpse Dissolution is performed, the one reborn in the body of a child would no longer be me! It would be a demon, unable to see past the mortal coil, obsessed with life and death for its entire existence, trapped in the cycle of reincarnation, and unable to break free!"
"How many disputes in this world, how many conflicts in this realm, all arise from that one word: Longevity! Have you forgotten that Dragon Tiger Mountain was nearly wiped out because of a conflict over this very thing? If this is how your mind works, how can I possibly entrust Dragon Tiger Mountain to you?!"
The Elder Celestial Master’s hair and beard flew upward as his aura surged. Faint, five-colored halos of light actually appeared around him.
This was no spiritual illusion but a real phenomenon. Even if captured with modern equipment, the image would show the very same thing.
His Life Magnetic Field was manifesting in reality.
After one hundred and thirty-eight years of cultivation, how could the Elder Celestial Master’s Cultivation possibly compare to that of an ordinary Saint Expert?
Zhang Taifeng didn’t retort or argue. Tears and snot streamed down his face—a face more beautiful than any woman’s—twisting his features into a grimace.
He did not fear death, nor did he desire longevity through Corpse Dissolution. He simply couldn’t bear to let go of this master who had changed his life; that was the only reason he had spoken those words.
If there were a way, Zhang Taifeng would willingly trade his own life to extend the Elder Celestial Master’s by ten years.
Unfortunately, death by old age was a law of heaven that no one could reverse.
"Silly boy. A person doesn’t need a physical body to be considered alive. All who inherit my Great Dao become my incarnations. Why be so obsessed with life and death?"
"In this new era, the ancient methods of Cultivation are sure to find new life. This old man has done a few insignificant things over the years. Now, it’s up to you to make Dragon Tiger Mountain renowned throughout the world and spread this old man’s legacy across the land."
The Elder Celestial Master patted Zhang Taifeng’s head.
"I will obey your command, Master."
Zhang Taifeng wiped the tears from his face, his eyes filled with resolve. He prostrated himself on the ground once more.
"Alright, I should go and prepare. For the investiture and Transformation Dao Conference two days from now... all those young people will be the future witnesses to the fact that I once walked this earth!"
The Elder Celestial Master laughed heartily and descended the mountain with his hands clasped behind his back.
Two days later, Dragon Tiger Mountain opened its gates once more.
Yi Beidou and his party of four left Dragon Tiger Town by car, driving along the highway toward Dragon Tiger Mountain.
Dragon Tiger Mountain was situated in an area of Danxia landforms, with strange peaks jutting up. A river flowed around the base of the mountain range like a jade belt wrapped around a waist.
As they drew near Dragon Tiger Mountain, they saw a solitary peak rising from the flatlands, like a pillar holding up the sky.
This peak was named Golden Spear Peak.
On the other side of the mountain range was a stone cave named "Earth Mother Rock," which resembled a woman sitting on the ground.
The two faced each other from a distance, not by human design, but as a breathtaking work of nature.
With its forest of peaks, the river like a jade belt, and the natural union of Yin and Yang, this place was truly a Grotto Heaven Blessed Land for cultivation.
Yi Beidou’s understanding of the heavens, the earth, and the human magnetic field was growing deeper, and his perceptions were becoming more profound. As he neared Dragon Tiger Mountain, he understood that if an expert skilled at communing with magnetic fields and balancing Yin and Yang were to cultivate here, they could borrow the world’s Great Trend and achieve twice the results with half the effort.
Even an ordinary person living here for an extended period would feel refreshed and invigorated.
After parking the car at the foot of the mountain, the group was immediately greeted by a Daoist from Dragon Tiger Mountain, who led them up the path.
The front of Dragon Tiger Mountain had been developed into a tourist attraction and was usually bustling with visitors. But today, the mountain had been closed in advance for the Celestial Master’s investiture, so the path was nearly empty.
They passed through the front mountain area and entered the rear, which was off-limits to tourists. The disciple from Dragon Tiger Mountain led Yi Beidou and his group to a quaint, antique-style building.
Incense smoke drifted out from within, and a faint radiance seemed to emanate from the building. The plaque above the entrance read: "Ten Thousand Laws Sect Altar."
A large crowd had already gathered outside the building.
There were Dragon Tiger Mountain Daoists in their robes, faces filled with sorrow, as well as cultivators from other sects.
It wasn’t just cultivators; there were also people from the secular world. Dressed in elegant, proper attire, their mundane auras were obvious at a glance.
These people were either local dignitaries or business magnates with deep ties to Dragon Tiger Mountain.
This occasion was not just a Transformation Dao Conference, but also the investiture ceremony for the Celestial Master’s Mansion. The changing of the Celestial Master was an event of immense significance, and these guests had all been invited to bear witness.
Yi Beidou saw a few familiar faces.
Southern Celestial King Yue Ming, Emei Zhou Qingchen, Spiritual Painter Huang Tianhu, Killing Heart Buddha Wei Cheng, Maoshan Tao Zihong...
The arrival of Yi Beidou’s group drew the attention of the crowd, and all eyes turned toward them.
Watching Yi Beidou walk over to the Cultivation Circle’s side to greet Wei Cheng and the others, the people in the secular group began to whisper among themselves, discussing his identity.
They all had a vague idea of the caliber of people standing on that side, and every one of them committed Yi Beidou’s face to memory.
’If they ever crossed paths with him in the future, they absolutely could not afford to offend him.’
"Why are there medical personnel here?"
Yi Beidou asked in confusion as he met up with the others.
Among the waiting crowd, he had noticed some strange figures.
For instance, there were people who looked like researchers fiddling with various instruments. He wasn’t surprised by that; with Maoshan’s Tao Zihong present, it was a given that he wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to collect data.
But the appearance of a group in white coats was what truly surprised Yi Beidou.
The Elder Celestial Master was a Saint Expert who had locked in his Physical Ability. He would be full of vitality right up until his Transformation Dao. It was impossible that he, like some wealthy tycoon, would be riddled with illnesses before his death and require a large retinue of medical staff to attend to him.
"The Elder Celestial Master voluntarily donated his body, allowing the relevant departments to collect it for research immediately after his Transformation Dao. These people are from the Institute of Biomedical Research," Tao Zihong explained in a low voice.