Otaku Translation: The Unintentional Path to Immortality Chapter 30

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According to the Art of Four Seasons' Rotations practiced by Song You, the spiritual energy cultivated at this time had the function of storing vitality, halting processes, remaining dormant, and staying concealed. However, this was only a characteristic inherent to spiritual energy and was not very powerful on its own. If this cultivated spiritual energy was used to evoke similar spells, there would be an amplification effect. If used to activate ordinary spells, it would function like normal spiritual energy. If used to activate opposing spells, the effect would not be good.

This was different from the method of cultivating the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

When Song You got up from bed, it was still early morning, but there was already another strand of pure white spiritual energy added to his body. This strand of spiritual energy was quite extraordinary, indicating that his cultivation indeed required absorbing the spiritual essence of different mountains and rivers.

Additionally, he noticed a thick frost covering the room's floor, marking yet another intriguing discovery.

Meanwhile, Lady Calico was nowhere to be seen, likely off playing once again.

Just as he was about to step outside to look for her, he caught snippets of conversation drifting in from the outside.

"Master, which celestial mountain exactly is the Crouching Dragon Temple located? And who is Master Song? Why have I never heard of him before? Why didn't he address our Temple Master as Venerable Master when he met him?"

"Crouching Dragon Temple is a secluded temple. It's normal that you haven't heard of it. However, our temple is fortunate enough to form a bond with it, so we are quite familiar with Crouching Dragon Temple."

"Why is it called Crouching Dragon Temple? Did an immortal subdue a dragon there?"

"The so-called Crouching Dragon Temple doesn't mean subduing, but rather lying dormant. It doesn't refer to an immortal subduing a dragon there, but it's a metaphor for the people in the temple being like a hidden dragon. In shadowed quiet, the dragon bides unseen,

Yet when it stirs, none match its sovereign sheen." The gentle voice was full of patience. "The legacy of the Crouching Dragon Temple has been passed down uninterrupted through many generations with only one successor in each generation, but its true duration remains unknown to everyone. True to its name, each successive master of the temple is akin to a phoenix or dragon of the realm, seldom matched by others. Master Song is the current heir of this legacy."

"Is there only one person each generation?"

"Usually, there are two, a master and a disciple."

"So few."

"The current temple master of Crouching Dragon Temple is like a living immortal."

"No wonder he called our Temple Master Dao Brother." The voice of the child sounded surprised.

Song You just smiled and stood at the door without going out.

In fact, he called Guanghua Zi Dao Brother instead of Venerable Master partly because of the custom of disregarding the seniority across different mountains, and partly because he was indeed of the same generation as Guanghua Zi.

When Song You’s grandmaster formed a bond with the Temple Master of the Temple of Blessed Clarity, they were of the same generation. However, the succession rate of Crouching Dragon Temple was much slower than that of normal temples. The Temple of Blessed Clarity transitioned to a new generation every twenty or thirty years, whereas Crouching Dragon Temple required at least forty to fifty years for each succession. By the time Crouching Dragon Temple appointed its second temple master, the Temple of Blessed Clarity had already progressed to its third generation.

Guanghua Zi was slightly younger than Song You's master. When he was young, he admired Song You's master and always called her Venerable Master, which was a respectful title for senior Daoist practitioners from other mountains.

Therefore, Song You naturally had to call him Dao Brother or Dao Friend.

The people outside continued chatting for a while, their voices remaining in the same positions, indicating they were waiting for someone. As their conversation topics gradually drifted further away, Song You grew concerned they might feel embarrassed if he opened the door now. So he decided to wait inside until they left before finally pushing the door open.

Coincidentally, Lady Calico came back from outside with small steps.

"Good morning, Lady Calico."

"Good morning, Daoist."

"Where did Lady Calico go?"

"Lady Calico went to have breakfast. Seeing you sitting still, she thought you were practicing, so she didn't call you."

"You little foodie..." Song You shook his head and smiled.

He was well aware that Lady Calico had agreed to stay two days ago due to the lavish feast served at noon that day, which she thoroughly enjoyed. The meals provided yesterday were also abundant in fish and meat. It appeared that the Daoists of the Temple of Blessed Clarity understood that to keep Song You around for an extended period, they needed to cater to Lady Calico's preferences as well. Hence, they made an effort to delight her with a variety of dishes each day.

She was a little greedy cat.

Song You closed the door and went to have breakfast.

Before he could finish, WindResponse and EmergingCloud, two junior Daoists, came to him again, "Dao Brother, the weather is nice today. How about we go to the mountaintop to enjoy the view?"

"Sounds good."

"Take your time with breakfast, Dao Brother. We'll wait for you."

"Okay," Song You replied, and then proceeded to eat at a leisurely pace.

Breakfast consisted of steamed buns, filled with a solid dough and a dense, hearty filling. Paired with thin porridge and pickled vegetables, it was a simple yet satisfying meal, the kind that ordinary folks couldn't afford to eat regularly. Judging by the expressions of the other Daoists in the dining hall, it seemed that the Temple of Blessed Clarity didn't serve such lavish meals every day either.

After breakfast, they made their way toward the mountain path, where early climbers could already be seen on the greenstone slabs.

WindResponse and EmergingCloud were two exceptionally kind individuals, each possessing unique qualities that endeared them to others. While WindResponse exuded approachability and gentleness, EmergingCloud possessed a considerate nature and spoke with attentive care, always looking out for others. Furthermore, both were blessed with attractive appearances. Had they been born in modern times and not chosen the path of Daoism, they would undoubtedly have been celebrated as popular figures.

Daoists were known for their serene way of life, often finding solace in the tranquility of mountain hikes. WindResponse and EmergingCloud, well-versed in the beauty of Mount Qingcheng, led Song You through its picturesque trails, sharing their knowledge of the temples dotted along the path.

It was said that there were fifty-six temples of varying sizes scattered across the mountain, along with countless secluded cottages designed for austere cultivation. Most of these structures were dedicated to the study of Daoist scriptures, while only nine temples were renowned for inheriting a lineage of Daoist practices. There were even rumors that some of these cottages housed reclusive masters.

In fact, most of the temples in this world were like this.

The vast majority did not have a lineage of Daoist practices; they only studied Daoist scriptures, worshipped Daoist deities, and contemplated Daoist thoughts.

For the very few among the temples that did claim to possess a true inheritance of Daoist practices, the reality was not quite what people first imagined. Most of them inherited little more than some knowledge and experience, such as the preferences and weaknesses of certain Yaoguai and monsters, or the procedures for certain Daoist rituals such as how to light incense to communicate with deities. These things did not require spiritual energy. Even ordinary people with sincere hearts, or even those hunters of Yaoguai or evil spirits, could use this information or perform these rituals without possessing any attainment in immortal cultivation.

These things may be called Daoist practices or methods, or they may be called skills, but to say that they were spells or magical arts would be somewhat inappropriate.

The last category of Daoist inheritances was mostly simple spells such as divination, exorcism, and divine vision. They could hardly be considered profound magical arts; in fact, even many people among the common folk could perform them with enough instruction in the techniques.

The Temple of Blessed Clarity was like this decades ago on Mount Qingcheng; it was neither outstanding nor insignificant. It wasn't until it formed a bond with the Temple of Crouching Dragon that the Temple of Blessed Clarity gained its current reputation as a place with genuine teachings and true masters. Despite the larger temples on Mount Qingcheng boasting greater fame, size, and followers than the Temple of Blessed Clarity, the outcomes of every debate on the study of Daoism remained mixed. But when it came to a contest of magical arts, they all inevitably fell short in the face of the Temple of Blessed Clarity.

Since then, the Temple of Blessed Clarity gradually flourished.

Until now, although its scale and fame were still not as good as those of the ancient temples that had been around for hundreds or thousands of years, and its study on Daoist doctrines was also inferior, it had already become difficult to find opponents in terms of magical spells on Mount Qingcheng.

And that was exactly why WindResponse and EmergingCloud were anxious about not having adequately hosted Song You. Returning home to a scolding was a small worry compared to the embarrassment of breaching etiquette.

They walked and talked, feeling no fatigue whatsoever, until they finally reached the mountaintop.

The weather was indeed good today.

However, Mount Qingcheng wasn't particularly tall. Without dense fog at its base and mist after rain, the sea of clouds wouldn't be visible. When EmergingCloud spoke of enjoying the view, she simply meant gazing at the clouds in the sky.

Song You also loved watching clouds, especially when lying down.

Paired with ripe kiwi fruits, about the size of pigeon eggs, and steamed buns filled with pickled vegetables, nothing could be more satisfying.

"Dao Brother, have you heard of the poem 'In mountain's realm, where ages blend,

Years dissolve, no cycles to attend’?"

"I have heard of it."

"Are there such immortal mountains in the world?"

"I haven't seen one."

"Venerable Master of Many Journeys has traveled all over the world, has she met one during her journey?"

"She probably hasn't."

"In that case, it must not be true then." The girl in the Daoist robe felt somewhat disappointed, as if a trace of the ethereal charm from her dreams had faded.

Song You neither admitted nor denied it.

Time was irreversible, and youth couldn’t be reclaimed. However, if it was just to slow down time, not to mention in this world, even in the previous world, there were enough theories to support it.

Based on what he had learned and seen, it was difficult to explain.

He just nibbled on his steamed bun and watched the clouds.

At this moment, the clouds were like light feathers covering the blue sky.

"Dao Brother, you seem quite relaxed."

"I am just a bit tired."

"My junior sister and I will go find some fruit. Let's sit here until dusk, watch the sunset, and then return. Since you’re already weary, you can wait here, Dao Brother."

"Okay."

The two of them smiled and went to look for fruits.

Before they could find any fruits, they noticed a brilliant red light emanating from the distant mountain, accompanied by billowing smoke rising into the sky like a dragon.

"There's a fire!" EmergingCloud exclaimed.

It seemed like yesterday's light rain had only fallen on the mountainside.

Fueled by the wind, the fire spread in the blink of an eye, leaving vast swathes of black scars in its wake. As the situation worsened by the moment, the consequences became unimaginable. Yet, this was a natural disaster. Their cultivation attainments weren't high, and after all, practitioners were not divine beings. How could they extinguish the wildfire with mere mortal strength?

The two of them were instantly overcome with urgency, yet found themselves utterly helpless.

Just then, a voice came from behind: "Don't worry, Dao Friends."

Turning around, they saw that Dao Brother Song had already stood up, brushed off the grass and mud from his body, and calmly watched the wildfire like them.

As the wildfire raged on, it would leave devastation in its wake among all living beings. Naturally, it had to be extinguished.

"Begone," he commanded with a wave of his hand, conjuring a white spot of light.

The brilliant spot shot across the sky and descended into the inferno. As it did, the flames drew inwards, the wildfire on the mountainside seeming to shrink in response to the stimulus. In the blink of an eye, it vanished without a trace, leaving no ember or plume of smoke. Were it not for the vast expanse of ashes from the grass and trees, one might have doubted it ever occurred.

EmergingCloud and her senior brother held their breath, completely stunned.

They suddenly understood why the Temple of Blessed Clarity had developed to its current scale yet still treated visitors from the Crouching Dragon Temple with the utmost respect, and why they would continue to pay a visit to the Crouching Dragon Temple and seek advice from them every year.

It turned out that it wasn't just a matter of courtesy and gratitude.

For the rest of the afternoon, the two of them became even more respectful toward Song You, even more so than when they were in front of their masters and the Temple Master.

They stayed until dusk before descending the mountain.

However, upon returning to the Daoist temple, when their respective masters inquired about their interactions and whether they had made acquaintances, they found themselves unsure of how to respond. They simply felt that the Dao Brother Song they had interacted with today possessed a level of cultivation far surpassing what they had heard from their masters about the previous Crouching Dragon Temple’s Temple Master who had descended the mountain decades ago.

Based on a day of interactions with EmergingCloud and her senior brother, Song You felt that both of them were decent people, at least for the moment. However, since he was unwilling to make friends and couldn’t decide whom to be close to, nor could he choose whom to oppose, he was destined to be unable to provide options for the future successor of the Temple of Blessed Clarity.

After dinner, Song You took out the prepared letter and said to Guanghua Zi: "Dao Brother, I have one more thing to ask."

"Hmm?"

"I have been away for a season already, and I've written a letter. I hope Dao Brother can take it with you when you visit my temple next spring."

"I see." Guanghua Zi took the letter carefully and put it away.

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