Daoist Competition

Zhang Yan took his leave from Duanmu Li, and Lu Guo led him to the Turtle Snake Mountain. Because the mountain was locked by a Great Array, it was impossible to fly, so the two walked along a gravel stone path into the mountain.

After no more than a hundred steps, they saw a clear green pond, about an acre in size, shimmering with light, with waterfowl leisurely dwelling. The strange stones rising steeply around the pond provided shade from the sun, and trees obscured the view, faintly revealing a Cave Mansion hidden behind.

In front of the cave, the ground was paved with Hexagonal Jade Bricks, immaculately clean, and beside the two purple wooden doors stood a clever little boy, who called out from afar, "The Third Old Master is here." He opened the door with delight and stood respectfully to the side.

As they reached the door, Lu Guo patted the Daoist boy’s head and then gestured sideways, politely saying, "Please, Daoist Zhang, enter first."

Zhang Yan bowed slightly and stepped inside, where the light suddenly dimmed, and he found himself within a cavern.

This cavern was more than fifty meters long and wide, with strange stones like spears and stalactites hanging from the top, dripping water sounding as clear as plucked zither strings. On either side stood two Treasure Jade lamps, their glow soft, and in between, a stone staircase wide enough for four people to walk abreast. However, the stairs were missing here and there, moss grew in the gaps, as if abandoned for ages.

Lu Guo followed him into the cave, reached his side, and pointed to the path, saying, "Please look, fellow Daoist, this stone staircase leads directly to the peak of Turtle and Snake Peak, but along the way, one must pass through thirty-six Array Gates. Years ago, a senior uncle from my sect lived here for hundreds of years and broke through the first eight arrays. I am ashamed to say that despite my extensive study for over three hundred years, I have yet to reach the ninth level. Indeed, I am utterly useless."

Saying this, he wore a look of shame on his face.

Among the trio of brothers, he was the only one with some understanding of arrays, though it was still incomplete. Moreover, he couldn’t decipher the Erosion Text, leaving him stuck here.

Over the years, the second senior brother Hong An suggested several times to invite external fellow Daoists to help break the array, but each time, the senior brother Duanmu Li rejected it, leaving him to soldier on.

Fortunately, Zhang Yan’s arrival gave him a glimmer of hope.

The two continued to ascend the stone steps, walking up one hundred and eight steps, after which the road led out of the cavern for several dozen steps more.

Zhang Yan’s vision brightened. He looked up and realized he was standing on a hundred-meters-large Stone Platform, positioned right above the tail of Turtle Snake Mountain. The daylight was still present, illuminating a scene of majestic peaks and graceful ridges, interspersed with steep cliffs, with tufts of green moss and resilient vines filling the rock crevices.

To the left of the cave entrance, slightly more than ten steps away, was another line of stone steps leading to the second level.

As Zhang Yan was about to step forward, he glanced and noticed a copper token, about three feet high, deeply embedded in the rock wall beside the cave entrance. On it were many texts, barely discernible as written in Erosion Text, but after enduring years of wind and rain erosion, they had become indistinct.

Lu Guo came over, pointed at it, and explained, "Daoist Zhang, at the entrances of levels one to eight, there is such an Erosion copper plate, which holds the technique for Array Breaking. However, once the array is broken, the Spiritual Energy has long gone, leaving it rusted and decayed. When I came here years ago, the text was still clear, worried that something essential might be lost, I had them etched elsewhere."

Zhang Yan nodded in praise, "Lu Daoist, your thoughts are meticulous, and you work carefully. Where are those etchings now?"

Lu Guo, bolstered by Zhang Yan’s compliment, was invigorated and said, "I carry these etchings with me every day. They are all here, please have a look, Daoist."

He took a Jade Dishware out from his sleeve and handed it over.

Zhang Yan reached out to take it, held it in his hand for a while, his face first showing surprise, then a thoughtful expression.

Lu Guo, seeing his expression, leaned forward out of curiosity and asked, "Have you noticed anything, fellow Daoist?"

Zhang Yan then flipped his wrist, putting the Jade Dishware into his Sleeve Bag, laughed, and said, "You overestimate me, fellow Daoist. How could I discern the method in just a moment? I will go back and ponder it carefully, don’t worry."

Lu Guo sincerely clasped his hands and bowed deeply, "Then I will rely on you, fellow Daoist."

After a few words, the two continued onward without pause, passing through eight layers of stone steps, stopping only at the entrance of the ninth array.

Seeing that further up was shrouded in spiritual cloud covering the mountain path, and distant mist occasionally sending dazzling spectral colors flickering.

Lu Guo saw him standing a bit too close, his expression changed, hurriedly grasped his sleeve, and exclaimed, "Daoist Zhang, do not go further inside, this array is extremely powerful. Earlier, I sent several Spirit Birds inside, and in the blink of an eye, they were reduced to mere mud."