Free Web NovelChapter 257: Chapter 256: Daluo Palace Adds 1 More Elder
Gu Zhao led Taoist Qingwei into the main hall of the research institute and invited the Daoist to take the seat of honor. Gu Zhao then brewed a pot of tea and poured a cup for Taoist Qingwei before turning and heading to the back room.
A moment later, Taoist Qingyuan followed Gu Zhao out.
"Senior Brother Qingwei!"
"Junior Brother Zhang."
Taoist Qingwei looked up to see Taoist Qingyuan striding toward him. He was dressed in a simple blue Daoist robe, his steps were brisk, and his bearing was magnificent. Though his hair and beard were graying, his eyes shone brightly, radiating a soul-captivating aura.
At first glance, Taoist Qingwei felt as if he were looking at a great master who had walked straight out of a martial arts novel.
Taoist Qingwei stood frozen on the spot, overwhelmed by how much Taoist Qingyuan had changed.
"Senior Brother!"
Unaware of the changes in himself, Taoist Qingyuan was overjoyed to see Taoist Qingwei again. He took a step forward and grasped Taoist Qingwei’s arm. "You’re finally here!"
Feeling his junior brother’s enthusiasm, Taoist Qingwei grasped Taoist Qingyuan’s arm in return. "There’s a Martial Arts exchange in Yangcheng, so I came to see you. You’ve changed so much."
"Really? Heh heh!" Taoist Qingyuan took a step back and looked himself over, chuckling. "Well, I am getting close."
"Getting close? Getting close to what?" Taoist Qingwei asked curiously.
Taoist Qingyuan looked at Gu Zhao.
Gu Zhao nodded with a smile. "Taoist Qingwei is a venerable man with profound Magical Power. If you’re willing to set aside your worldly affairs, I certainly wouldn’t mind having another Elder in Daluo Palace."
Taoist Qingyuan said earnestly, "Senior Brother, join Daluo Palace! Join us to carry out Heaven’s will and slay demons and monsters!"
Taoist Qingwei: ???
The next moment, he suddenly felt a powerful surge of True Qi erupt from Taoist Qingyuan. This True Qi was so immense it nearly suppressed the Magical Power within his own body, forcing it to shrink into a tight ball. freewёbnoνel.com
Taoist Qingwei: !!!
Immediately after, a gentle breeze stirred, forming a whirlwind that spiraled around Taoist Qingwei and Taoist Qingyuan. It then coalesced into a force resembling Tai Chi.
Taoist Qingwei suddenly felt his body grow light. He looked down and realized his feet had left the ground. He was being lifted by the breeze that Taoist Qingyuan had gathered, left to float in mid-air.
"You...?" Taoist Qingwei’s eyes went wide as he stared at Taoist Qingyuan in utter disbelief.
Taoist Qingyuan grinned like a child showing off for an elder. He reached out, took Taoist Qingwei’s hand, and then rode the wind out of the hall. They hovered over the research institute’s courtyard before gliding to the top of the parasol tree, landing gently on a single leaf.
The next moment, Taoist Qingyuan patted the gourd at his waist, and a longsword appeared in his hand. With a casual flourish, he conjured a transparent Tai Chi Diagram at the sword’s tip.
Having already cultivated Inner Breath True Qi, Taoist Qingwei could clearly sense the powerful Spiritual Power contained within the Tai Chi Diagram.
"Senior Brother! What do you think?" Taoist Qingyuan said with a smile.
"Have you achieved immortality?" Taoist Qingwei asked in a daze.
"I’m still far from immortality. I’ve only just learned how to fly," Taoist Qingyuan said as he dispersed the Tai Chi Diagram and put away his Treasure Sword. He then nodded gratefully toward Gu Zhao.
Gu Zhao laughed. "Taoist Qingwei came looking for you out of his own concern, Martial Uncle. You also achieved this breakthrough on your own. What does it have to do with me?"
"Without you, Sect Leader, how could I, Qingyuan, have had such a fortunate encounter?" Taoist Qingyuan said, pulling Taoist Qingwei as they flew back into the main hall.
Taoist Qingwei looked at Taoist Qingyuan, then at Gu Zhao, and finally at the small gourd hanging from Taoist Qingyuan’s waist. He felt as if his entire worldview had just been shattered.
"Taoist Qingwei!"
Gu Zhao turned to Taoist Qingwei. With a serious expression, he offered a formal salute. "Daoist, you have practiced Martial Arts for decades and are a master of both fist and sword. In your youth, you fought in real combat tournaments. But in these long years of peace, there is no outlet for your skills. Are you willing to join Daluo Palace and put a lifetime of learning to use?"
Taoist Qingyuan looked at Taoist Qingwei. "As long as you join Daluo Palace, your Dao Practice will advance just like mine."
Taoist Qingwei’s eyes flickered as he began to piece things together. "I can never reach you these days. It’s because you’re not on Blue Star, are you? You’ve gone to another world."
Taoist Qingyuan was taken aback. He glanced at Gu Zhao, who nodded, so he admitted, "Yes."
"Is the other world rich in Spiritual Qi? A place where cultivation and practicing techniques allows one to progress by leaps and bounds?" Taoist Qingwei continued.
Taoist Qingyuan thought for a moment. "More or less."
Recalling what Taoist Qingyuan and Gu Zhao had said, Taoist Qingwei’s eyes gleamed. "Does that world have Demons and Ghosts too?"
"Correct," Taoist Qingyuan said gravely. "Soul-Devouring Fierce Ghosts and man-eating Demon Fiends!"
Taoist Qingwei’s fists clenched. "What took you so long to tell me!?"
Taoist Qingyuan blinked, looking a little awkward. "Well, I was worried you’d be in danger. Besides, you’re the Sect Leader of the Sanfeng Sect, the President of the Zhenwu Mountain Martial Arts Association..."
Taoist Qingwei retorted angrily, "Are you looking down on me? If you can go, why can’t I? You’re not afraid of the danger, so why would I be? Sanfeng Sect Leader, Martial Arts Association President... they’re all just empty titles!"
"Don’t be in such a hurry!" Taoist Qingyuan urged.
"I *am* in a hurry!" Taoist Qingwei said impatiently. "I’ve spent decades in arduous Martial Arts Training and mastered all these skills, but now they’re only good for performances! You found a place like this and you should have brought me along when you first went!"
Taoist Qingyuan couldn’t help but scratch his head. "The Sect Leader had limited spots at the time, but it’s true that I..."
"It was because spots were limited, and I happened to meet Taoist Qingyuan first," Gu Zhao cut in. "Fate works in mysterious ways. There’s no use being anxious, Taoist Qingwei!"
Gu Zhao laughed heartily and pointed a finger. A Thunder Seed sank into the space between Taoist Qingwei’s brows. "However, your arrival here today means our destinies have aligned. I invite you, Daoist, to join Daluo, to slay demons and monsters, and to walk the path of Cultivation with us."
A moment later, Taoist Qingwei opened his eyes. For an instant, one pupil was black and the other white. Then, they transformed into two miniature Tai Chi Diagrams before fading away, returning his eyes to normal.
"My apologies, Junior Brother. I was too hasty just now." Taoist Qingwei first cupped his fist to Taoist Qingyuan in apology.
"Not at all!" Taoist Qingyuan quickly waved his hands dismissively.
Taoist Qingwei turned to Gu Zhao again and bowed respectfully. "Qingwei of the Sanfeng Sect of Zhenwu Mountain, pays my respects to the Sect Leader."
"Please rise, Martial Uncle." Gu Zhao also changed his form of address as he helped Taoist Qingwei up. "Martial Uncle, please handle your worldly affairs first. After they are settled, come back to Yangcheng, and I will take you to Daluo Palace."
"Why bother with worldly affairs!" Taoist Qingwei didn’t want to waste a single minute. "It’s nothing a phone call can’t solve. Master Yu has been helping me with these things all along. It’s the perfect time to let him take over completely."
Taoist Qingyuan reminded him, "The Sect Leader said Master Yu and the other two are also qualified. However, people from Qingcheng Mountain and the Celestial Master’s Mansion are waiting, and our fellow cultivators Senior Brother Jing Feng and Senior Brother Shen Hao also have sect members in line."
Taoist Qingwei nodded and gave a slightly awkward smile before saying, "They’re not in a hurry."
The three of them looked at each other and all laughed out loud.
...
In the security room, the security guard turned his head and saw the scene of Taoist Qingyuan leading Taoist Qingwei to fly to the top of the parasol tree.
Even though he’d known about it for a while, he couldn’t help but feel shaken. ’That was Taoist Qingyuan from Zhenwu Mountain... Looks like Taoist Qingwei is heading over there too...’
