Free Web NovelChapter 740: Lanxi Cave Heaven
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The Mortal World has the Flower Festival, and the Cultivation World has the Bei Chu Yan Family, and Longquan Prefecture’s Bei Ya Mountain City is well-known, which goes without saying.
South of Bei Ya Mountain, there is a Shaoliang City, and probably not many people outside the prefecture have heard of this city.
Shaoliang Mountain City is built against the mountains, its scale is not too large, and its population is only a few hundred thousand, about half that of Bei Ya Mountain City.
In fact, many ancient legends within Longquan Prefecture record that a very, very long time ago, Shaoliang was the capital of an Immortal Dynasty.
And Bei Ya Mountain was merely the "Flower Workshop" of that ancient Immortal Dynasty, specifically for cultivating Spiritual Flowers and Spiritual Plants for the imperial Family.
After the Immortal Dynasty’s collapse, many Spiritual Plant Masters and florists from the capital carried various precious Spiritual Seeds south, multiplying and thriving in Bei Ya Mountain City.
From this, Bei Ya Mountain gradually developed and prospered.
Shaoliang City, however, gradually declined and lost its voice, and its political status in the Chu Kingdom’s court today is not high.
Near Shaoliang City is a continuous range of deep mountains, the highest of which is called Shouyang Mountain, standing five or six hundred zhang tall, perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist.
Over the years, many mysterious and strange legends have emerged from this place, so among the Chu Kingdom’s Martial Forest, many young Jianghu heroes travel thousands of miles to seek traces of Immortals here.
At this very moment, at the foot of Shouyang Mountain.
In a grove of trees, a Mortal woodcutter was resting on a bluestone under a tree, holding a tobacco pipe.
The old woodcutter was advanced in age, and his children had grown up, so he should have been at home enjoying his retirement.
But he simply couldn’t sit still, always wanting to go up the mountain a few more times while he could still work.
The weather was still a bit cold, and the hand holding his pipe trembled slightly.
How could this Yunxiang grass not light?
The old man cupped the tinder in his arms to block the wind, but saw the Yunxiang grass ignite on its own.
"Huh? That’s strange."
As he pondered this, he saw two young people, a man and a woman, walking up the mountain path.
The man looked eighteen or nineteen, dressed in a black robe and cloth, wearing a bamboo hat, with steady steps.
The woman, about fourteen or fifteen, followed closely behind the man, holding a long, exquisite cloth bag in her arms.
The old man gripped the axe by his side with some vigilance.
He had seen too many evil deeds in these deep mountains and old forests.
The young man’s attire clearly marked him as a Jianghu martial artist.
Although the old man had nothing worth stealing, it was still better to be careful when strangers approached.
"Excuse me, old man, could you tell me the way to Lanxi Cave?"
"Huh?"
The old man showed a puzzled expression.
Perhaps he hadn’t heard clearly due to his advanced age, or perhaps he simply didn’t understand what the outsider was saying.
The Longquan Prefecture area indeed had a different accent in every village.
The young man repeated three words: "Lanxi Cave."
"Oh." The old man suddenly understood, comprehending the other party’s intention, and even loosened his grip on the axe.
Another Jianghu hero seeking an Immortal destiny.
"Ah, yes, go up the mountain here, take the right path."
The old man took two puffs from his pipe and pointed the way.
He had seen many such people.
The strange legends and tales that spread from Shouyang Mountain were, nine times out of ten, from near this Lanxi Cave.
There was a long river in the mountains, called Lanxi, and the Lanxi flowed through a natural stone cave.
The stone cave led to an unknown place, but the area around its entrance was shrouded in clouds and mist year-round.
It would be perfectly normal for a high mountain like Shouyang Mountain to have occasional heavy fog.
But for it to be like this almost all four seasons was a bit strange.
Some brave mountain folk had ventured into it, but strangely, no matter how they wandered around inside, they would always return to their starting point, which was the entrance to the underground river in the stone cave.
Until one day, a mountain dweller’s child, playing on the mountain, accidentally entered it and was never heard from again, never returning.
Some said that Immortals lived in Lanxi Cave, and the child was taken to an Immortal Mountain to Cultivate.
Others said that the mountain folk’s actions had angered the secluded Immortals, and this was a punishment.
No one knew the outcome.
But the mountain folk no longer dared to easily approach Lanxi Cave, while Jianghu martial artists, hearing the rumors, flocked to the area.
Near such an obscure small city, Shouyang Mountain’s Lanxi Cave could barely be described as
"bustling."
The young man nodded, cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you for your guidance, old man."
He led the young woman up the mountain.
After speaking, the old man lowered his head, took a puff from his pipe, and muttered, "What kind of Immortals would be in this little broken place..."
When he looked up again, the two had vanished without a trace.
"Huh?" He looked around for a while, somewhat disbelieving.
His lips moved, but he couldn’t speak.
He quickly hoisted the bundles of firewood placed by the bluestone onto his back and chased a few steps up the mountain path towards Lanxi Cave, but still saw no one.
So he grumbled and went down the mountain.
"Could it be that this old man really encountered Immortals?"
...The young man and young woman walked along a small forested shallows in front of Lanxi Cave.
It was overcast, and the rain hadn’t fallen yet, with a hazy mist in the mountains.
The two stopped in front of the natural stone cave. The young man watched the Lanxi River flow into the cave, then looked up at the sky, revealing a handsome face. It was Song Yan, who had come from Yi River.
At first glance, it seemed he still needed a long time before Foundation Establishment, but to make all preparations before the day of his Epiphany and Impact Foundation Building, he actually had quite a few things to do.
Originally, he was going to look for Liang Feng near Bei Ya Mountain, but on the way, as soon as he entered Longquan Prefecture, he received a message from him, informing Song Yan of his current whereabouts.
"The methods of our Fellow Daoists in Lanxi Cave, are they... a bit crude?"
Song Yan’s expression was a little strange: "Wouldn’t such an illusion array just entice Mortals to come and investigate?"
Xiao Ju chuckled softly and said gently, "When we arrived, I heard that there are also small Daoist temples and Families within the Lanxi Cave area."
"Perhaps, at first, they had the idea of recruiting Disciples from among Mortals."
"That’s true."
Song Yan nodded and stepped inside.
He activated his spiritual power, isolating the mist outside.
After walking for a moment, he arrived inside the cave, where it was completely dark.
Xiao Ju thoughtfully conjured a ball of spiritual light, illuminating the path ahead.
Walking along the path beside the underground river in the stone cave, he faintly heard the sound of dripping water, which was then covered by the sound of the flowing underground river.
After about a quarter of an hour, the area ahead suddenly brightened.
In the eyes of Mortals, Lanxi Cave was just a mysterious and strange underground river and karst cave.
But the Lanxi Cave in the mouths of Cultivators was completely different.
It was not a single cave, but represented a gathering place for Loose Cultivators.
Within it were continuous mountain ranges and vast lakes. The Loose Cultivators rooted here, finding joy in hardship, called it—
"Lanxi Cave Heaven."
Lanxi Cave here did not look like a place with few people.
Song Yan was surprised, as this differed somewhat from the secluded, rarely visited place someone had described earlier.
Stepping out of the cave entrance, a cool mountain breeze greeted him.
Not far from the underground river’s exit, two ancient stone statues stood: one of a Daoist carrying a long sword, and one of a female Cultivator holding a lotus flower.
Though their faces were blurred, they exuded a sense of solemnity.
Not far away, two people walked together, heading directly towards Song Yan.
One of them cupped his hands and bowed, speaking very politely: "This Fellow Daoist looks unfamiliar; is this your first time in Lanxi Cave?"
Song Yan nodded.
The person asked: "We are the managers of Lanxi Cave. May I ask if you are here to visit Lanxi Market, or...?"
A gathering place for Loose Cultivators like this could be entirely seen as a whole, a small Sect.
Just like the Lanxi Cave in front of them, not far from the underground river’s exit was the entrance to the Market.
The Loose Cultivators and small Families rooted here developed and expanded their power around a certain "Mountain Lord" who established Lanxi Cave Heaven.
Outside Cultivators mainly came to the Market here, or to visit Cultivators residing here, or else they also wished to join the Loose Cultivators of this place.
"Oh, I came here to find an old friend."
The Cultivator suddenly understood and didn’t ask Song Yan whom he was looking for. He simply explained in detail to him and Xiao Ju some of the rules for entering Lanxi Cave.
Then he gave each of them a jade token, which needed to be refined on the spot.
"Please leave your identity credentials, this is a rule, and we hope you don’t mind."
This was a relatively common verification method, already simplified significantly compared to a Sect.
The two also followed local customs, refining them and then handing them to the two managers.
"Take care."
Song Yan didn’t mention the whereabouts of his old friend, and the two didn’t say much, perhaps he already knew.
After checking, they were allowed to pass.
Passing through an archway, a wide valley embraced by mountains appeared before their eyes.
Mist swirled in the valley, and a winding bluestone staircase gently descended.
The layout of the buildings and scenery within was quite similar to the Cold Mountain Market in Changping.
The two walked unhurriedly through the Market.
"Is Senior Song’s friend a Spiritual Plant Master?" Xiao Ju asked.
After all these days of being together, she seemed to have become much more cheerful than before.
"Hmm..." Song Yan pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, and among Qi Refining Cultivators, he is a very professional Spiritual Plant Master."
To be fair, he had seen a lot of the world by now.
Among Qi Refining Cultivators, the only one confident enough to Cultivate a mature moon-bearing ancient lotus pod from a moon-bearing ancient lotus seed seemed to be Liang Feng.
After all, while the moon-bearing ancient lotus was precious, its general applicability was relatively low.
Cultivators who needed this item regarded it as a treasure, while those who didn’t might not even have heard of it.
If it were just for earning Spirit Stones, no one would likely devote their energy to researching this item.
And to save his wife, Liang Feng could be said to have spent most of his life on this.
"By the way, Xiao Ju, do you remember I told you that I met someone named Liang Feng when I was in Bei Ya Mountain?"
Neither of them had reached Foundation Establishment. Although Song Yan had always wanted to buy a flying Spiritual Artifact before Foundation Establishment, on the one hand, flying Spiritual Artifacts were extremely expensive, and on the other hand, he hadn’t found a suitable one, so they mostly had to rely on walking to travel.
The journey was boring, so the two would chat about interesting things from the past.
Song Yan had also told Xiao Ju about his trip to the Bei Ya Mountain Flower Festival.
Xiao Ju recalled for a moment, then nodded gently: "I remember."
Song Yan slowly said, "Xiao Ju, what kind of person do you think he is?"
Hearing such a question, the young woman suddenly became nervous.
To her, it seemed like a test.
If she answered poorly, it might diminish Senior Song’s impression of her.
This sudden nervousness made Xiao Ju’s mind a bit muddled, her small face flushed, and even her freckles became much more prominent.
Song Yan seemed to notice the change in her demeanor, and although it was a bit strange, he still explained: "I was just asking casually."
His addition made Xiao Ju relax a little, but she still hadn’t fully disengaged from her state of alertness.
She thought, but after a long time, she gave an answer that surprised Song Yan.
"...He’s an ordinary person."
Song Yan didn’t offer a comment, only asked: "Why do you say that?"
Xiao Ju pursed her lips: "If it were me..."
She paused, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible: "When A Niang (Mother) was most ill, I really hoped someone would appear and tell me how to save A Niang (Mother), even if it meant stealing or robbing, I might have..."
Xiao Ju suddenly choked up, looking up at Song Yan in a panic, then quickly lowering her head: "I... I’m not saying he did the right thing..."
Song Yan, however, let out a laugh.
Even when imagining herself doing evil, the worst she could imagine was petty theft.
Song Yan shook his head and said, "When it really comes to that, you wouldn’t do it either."
Because Xiao Ju was truly too kind.
She looked up, somewhat puzzled, at Song Yan and asked, "Senior Song, why are you suddenly talking about this? Could it be that the person you’re here to see today..."
Song Yan nodded: "That’s right, the person I’m here to see today is him."
He had once asked himself the same question, but unfortunately, he had no conclusion.
But it didn’t matter, he wasn’t a sociologist.
His giving of the moon-bearing lotus seed was a direct gift of hope for his wife’s life, and he, using his ability to Cultivate Spiritual Plants, cultivated the moon-bearing ancient lotus, creating value for Song Yan.
A simple and pure transaction.
The two stopped in front of a shop selling Spiritual Flowers and Spiritual Plants. Looking up slightly, they could see the sign next to it.
Qiduo Flower House.
Spiritual Flowers and Spiritual Plants have some special uses for Demon Beasts and Spiritual Pets, and can also be used to condense various fragrant dews.
Among the arts of cultivating the mind, one art is called perfumery.
Perfumers can create various fragrant dews and balms, which often have the effect of calming the mind and concentrating the spirit.
Legend has it that there was a perfumer who could create a special fragrant dew, which could even allow Cultivators to enter a state of Epiphany.
However, the Chu Kingdom was remote, and cultivation resources were scarce, so the art of perfumery was not flourishing.
Perfumers with a small reputation in the Chu Kingdom were basically concentrated near Bei Ya Mountain.
After all, Spiritual Flowers and Spiritual Plants could not be used as medicine for Alchemy, so for Cultivators, they had no necessary value.
Therefore, few Cultivators came and went here; most were female Cultivators.
Song Yan and Xiao Ju stepped inside. The shop was empty, and the flower racks were filled with beautifully blooming flowers.
It was clear that the shopkeeper took great care in tending to them.
Soon, a soft sound of footsteps came from the back courtyard of the flower house.
The bamboo curtain gently lifted, and a woman in plain clothes walked out.
She looked about twenty-five or twenty-six, with her black hair loosely tied in a ’flowing cloud’ bun, and her cheeks were pale, subtly showing signs of recent recovery from a serious illness.
Looking at Song Yan and Xiao Ju, the woman in plain clothes smiled gently and bowed.
She asked softly, "Are you two Fellow Daoists here to choose Spiritual Flowers?"
Song Yan, however, shook his head and cupped his hands, saying, "Excuse our intrusion, we are not here to buy flowers."
"May I ask if Fellow Daoist Liang Feng is here?"
