Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

Chapter 1594: Chapter 859: Appointed as Temple Master, Shishu’s Dharma Transmission

In the practice of cultivation, the passage of time goes unnoticed; in the blink of an eye, ten years have passed.

The night recedes, and a faint light of dawn gradually emerges in the sky.

Yesterday’s heavy rain not only washed away the heat on Lingbi Mountain but also made the greenery in the mountain forest even more lush and vibrant.

Soon, a red sun appeared halfway over the eastern mountains, its rays piercing the mountain mist to illuminate a cliff on the mountainside of Lingbi Mountain.

At this moment, Zhao Sheng sat cross-legged atop the cliff, gazing serenely at the distant, slowly rising sun, as a layer of golden light emanated from his entire body.

Strands of Great Sun Purple Qi descended from the sky, gradually merging into the golden light surrounding him, eventually becoming part of the protective golden light.

This process repeated continuously until the sun fully ascended into the sky, and the Great Sun Purple Qi vanished completely, only then did it cease abruptly.

At this time, Zhao Sheng slowly stood up and looked toward the outside of Lingbi Mountain, while at the same time, the protective golden light retracted into his body.

Three hundred miles west of Lingbi Mountain, there was a bustling city named Jinghe City. The city had nearly a million residents, serving as the administrative center of Weifang County, and was also the most prosperous and largest city within a thousand miles.

Zhao Sheng gazed at Jinghe City, three hundred miles away, and a strange scene suddenly appeared deep in his clear eyes.

In the sky above Jinghe City, vivid, colorful clouds appeared out of thin air. The clouds churned and fluctuated intensely, reflecting countless hues—hues that were both pure and impure, filled with innumerable indescribable thoughts and desires.

Taoist immortals once regarded the secular world as the Red Dust World.

Now, the vivid, colorful clouds above Jinghe City were the manifestation of Red Dust Qi.

At this moment, seven or eight rust-stained, ancient-style Five Plants Coins were floating and sinking within the depths of the Red Dust Clouds, their rust gradually being worn away by the Red Dust Qi.

As time passed, the rust on the Five Plants Coins slowly diminished, with certain areas regaining their luster, vaguely emitting some ancient aura.

Zhao Sheng watched for a while, then suddenly had a thought, and a beam of golden light shot forth from three hundred miles away.

In an instant, the golden light landed in his hand, transforming into a golden, shiny, clean Five Plants Gold Coin.

"Ten years of refining in the Red Dust, and finally obtained a Qingjing Coin. Too slow, far too slow!" Zhao Sheng shook his head and sighed, slowly storing the Qingjing Coin into his sleeve.

Then, he withdrew his gaze from three hundred miles away, turned his head to look at Lingbi Mountain, and saw amidst the lush greenery, a faintly visible, quaint and elegant temple with blue bricks and yellow tiles.

On the plaque in the middle of the temple were written three large words: "Lingbi Temple."

In front of the temple was a monumental gate connected to a bluestone road about two zhang wide, with layered stone steps extending to the base of the mountain.

By this time, the bluestone road already had the figures of worshippers, who were ascending the steps, slowly approaching the Lingbi Temple located halfway up the mountain.

Ten years ago, Zhao Sheng left Heart Refining Valley, then swore a Taoist oath in the Heart Inquiry Hall, and also successfully received a disciple waist card.

Thereafter, he was sent down the mountain to become the temple master of Lingbi Temple.

The manner of the Taiqing Sect’s actions was unexpectedly unconventional, vastly different from the cultivation concepts of the vast majority of other Cultivation Sects in the outside world.

According to the Sect Elder’s words, cultivation here focuses primarily on self-realization, with every disc iple needing to experience the Red Dust World.

Therefore, not long after the current batch of outer disciples entered the sect, they were all sent down the mountain to become the temple masters of countless Descendant Temples.

As the master of Lingbi Temple, Zhao Sheng also managed the surrounding thousand-mile territory.

The mountain gods, earth gods, water lords, and other "divine spirits" within the territory also came under his jurisdiction and could be freely commanded.

The rules of Taiqing Cave Heaven were vastly different from those in the Spirit Realm.

Over countless years, the Taiqing Sect had already established a comprehensive, strict, and hierarchically structured governance system in this True Immortal Cave Heaven.

Since the consecration of gods and the establishment of ten thousand Descendant Temples, the Taoist lineage of the Taiqing Sect had become extraordinarily solid, and for eons, Taiqing Cave Heaven had maintained perfect order, with rules firmly in place, never facing a catastrophe capable of overturning the Taiqing Sect.

As sunlight crossed the gate tower and shone upon the temple plaque, the main doors of Lingbi Temple slowly opened, and two sweeping Taoists walked out to start cleaning the steps and square in front of the temple.

A few worshippers finally reached the temple front, each of them entered the temple with pious expressions to start offering incense and praying to the gods.

At this time, Zhao Sheng withdrew his gaze, and his figure suddenly dissipated with the wind.

Sometime later, in the depths of the Taiqing Treasure Hall of the temple, Zhao Sheng first saluted the divine statue of the Ancestor behind the altar, then turned and walked to the east side of the hall.

On this wall was an ancient painting named "Ancestor Preaching Painting."

The painting depicted majestic Ling Mountain and serene forests, and under an ancient Bodhi tree, an old Daoist sat cross-legged, possessing an immortal demeanor.

On either side behind the old Daoist stood two rosy-lipped, white-toothed Daoist children. The Daoist child on the left held a horsetail whisk with both hands, while the one on the right held a scripture scroll.

In front of the old Daoist sat variously featured Daoists, looking solemn, all listening with near reverent devotion to the Ancestor’s teachings.

Facing the ancient painting, Zhao Sheng suddenly bowed deeply to the book-holding Daoist child, and respectfully said, "Outer Disciple Zhao Sheng requests to meet the Ancestor of the Book!"

As soon as his voice fell, the Daoist child in the painting holding the book scroll suddenly moved and then "came alive."

The next moment, the Daoist child emerged slowly from the painting, taking a step to stand before him.

To solidify and continue the Taoist lineage, the Taiqing Sect established ten thousand Descendant Temples within its Sect Cave Heaven, with each temple constructed at the nodes where the spirit veins and earth veins converged, and the architectural styles and forms within these temples were nearly identical.