NOVPUBThe two stepped on the withered yellow leaves.
Trees of a thousand shapes and varieties were planted all around.
Some bloomed in the spring, while others bore green leaves in the autumn. 𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝙤𝒎
Even more peculiar were those whose fragrant flowers lingered for miles without dispersing throughout the winter.
However, most of the trees still followed the changes of the seasons.
Yellow leaves twirled in the air, and a crisp "crunch" sounded beneath their feet.
Occasional strong gusts swept down from the mountaintop.
The yellow leaves wilted and flew about in the air.
Xu Zimei and King Qinyou traveled at an extremely fast pace, reaching the mountainside in just half a day.
Along the way, they sporadically encountered many climbers.
Wuhua Temple was located halfway up the mountainside.
This was a temple rarely seen in the world.
It stood like a colossal entity among these mountain peaks.
The architectural design of the temple was perilous yet ingeniously breathtaking.
There were great halls hanging upside down on precipices and temple buildings nestled among the crevices of rocks and stones.
Standing in front of the doors of Wuhua Temple,
the ancient charm of a thousand-year-old monastery was incomparable to other structures.
Two towering, ancient Bodhi Trees were planted in front of the entrance.
These Bodhi Trees appeared like two old monks in deep meditation, silently guarding either side.
It was as if they were telling their many years’ worth of stories.
The Bodhi seeds swayed gently in the breeze.
The temple doors were painted with a deep, vermilion lacquer.
They looked imposing and solemn.
Two brightly colored lanterns hung in front of the door.
On either side of the grand vermilion doors stood two animals carved from blue stone.
Xu Zimei took a closer look and realized they were two Huodou Beasts.
Also known as Beasts of Calamity, their appearance was somewhat canine.
Their entire bodies were pitch black, with large red fur growing on their backs.
The teeth on the sides of their mouths were exceedingly sharp.
They belonged to the category of evil beasts.
Although such evil beasts had already gone extinct during the Wild Desolation era,
legends about them had been passed down to the present.
It was said that these beasts fed on flames and thunder.
But as much as they consumed fire, they also excreted it.
Therefore, wherever they went, fires would rage, engulfing everything in fearsome infernos.
Having two Beasts of Calamity at the temple entrance struck Xu Zimei as very odd.
"Seems like this temple is going to be quite interesting," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"How could it be simple if it’s related to that place," King Qinyou replied.
"It’s just that they are usually too low-key, not showing themselves.
How would ordinary people pay any attention?"
With a smile, Xu Zimei walked up to the gate and knocked forcefully on the copper ring.
A dull "thump, thump, thump" sound emanated from inside.
Soon after, the vermilion-colored gates of the temple swung open.
A disciple with long hair and dressed in a black robe came out.
"What may I do for you, benefactor?" the disciple asked curiously.
"I’d like to take a look around your Wuhua Temple," Xu Zimei said.
"I’m sorry, benefactor, but it’s not yet springtime and our Temple’s Thirty-Six Caves are not open.
We are currently refusing visitors," replied the disciple.
"Visiting the temple is just on the way; I mainly came to visit your Sect Leader," Xu Zimei said.
"You go tell your Sect Leader that a young man named Xu Zimei has come to visit him.
Ask him if he remembers the encounter on the Yuan Family’s airship."
Hearing Xu Zimei’s words, the disciple gave him a suspicious glance.
Then he replied, "Then you wait a moment, I will go and report to the Sect Leader right now."
With that, the disciple closed the temple gates.
Wuhua Temple was quite unique.
The normal leader of a temple would be called the abbot or the presiding monk, yet here, they were known as the Sect Leader.
The Sect Leader of Wuhua Temple was none other than Wu Qianjun.
Previously, when Xu Zimei went to the Baili Family, he met that couple on the Yuan Family’s airship.
At that time, Yao Shengnan was also on the airship.
...
Wuhua Mountain could be said to be unique in every way.
Even the disciples of their temple kept long hair.
They did not conform to the image of monks in people’s minds.
It wasn’t long before the disciple left that the temple doors opened wide.
A grey-robed elder hurriedly came out from inside.
"Young Master Xu, it’s been a while!" Wu Qianjun, with his youthful face and white hair, came out full of energy.
"It’s quite rare for Sect Leader Wu to remember me," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"I was afraid that after our departure that day, Sect Leader Wu would soon forget."
"Young Master Xu jests. Had that departure not been during the Baili Family’s enfeoffment ceremony,
I would not have known that Young Master Xu was the current Saint Heir of the True Martial Holy Sect," Wu Qianjun said with a chuckle.
"Today, I came uninvited, and I hope Sect Leader Wu won’t mind," Xu Zimei laughed, pointing to King Qinyou beside him.
"My friend here greatly admires Wuhua Temple and has always wanted to come for a visit.
Since we were passing by Wuhua Mountain this time, we thought we’d pay a visit to Sect Leader Wu and take the opportunity to see the famous Wuhua Temple."
"That’s nothing to worry about. It’s just a pity that spring has not yet arrived, so the grand view of the Thirty-six Caves cannot be opened,"
The Sect Leader said while leading Xu Zimei and his companion into the temple.
Wuhua Temple was very spacious.
Entering the main gate, there was an especially large incense burner in the middle of the courtyard.
This incense burner was an ordinary magic artifact that could automatically consume the ashes after the incense was burned.
The faint scent of incense lingered in the air of the temple.
The architecture of the temple was very retro, with the basic colors being a combination of blue, red, and green.
No sooner had they walked into the temple than they saw a monk coming towards them.
He was wearing a light red monk’s robe with very long hair.
And it looked like it had not been washed for a long time.
It was disheveled, draping down the sides of his head, falling all the way to his chest.
Most peculiar was his barefoot walking, yet his expression was tranquil and at ease.
"Junior Brother Wutian, you’ve come out of meditation," Wu Qianjun greeted the approaching monk with a smile.
The monk turned his head, giving just a faint nod.
Then he left without saying a word.
"Divine Vein Realm," Xu Zimei mused, watching the monk’s retreating figure with a slight frown.
Wuhua Temple was really no ordinary place!
A random encounter with a monk and he was a powerhouse of the Divine Vein Realm.
...
"Please don’t mind my junior brother; he’s always been like this," Wu Qianjun seemed quite accustomed to it.
He turned his head and said to Xu Zimei with a smile, "Let me arrange two Zen rooms for you first.
You can visit the temple anytime you want; I’ll have a disciple accompany you.
I have some matters to attend to and might have to leave later."
"That’s okay, we’ll trouble Sect Leader Wu then," Xu Zimei said with a smile and a shake of his head.
They went westward, coming to a very quiet wing of rooms.
Just as they arrived, a group of people were coming out of the rooms.
This group was dressed in blue robes, each carrying a wooden long stick on their backs.
They looked a bit like warrior monks.
Upon seeing Xu Zimei and his group, the leading monk from the group loudly demanded, "Who allowed you to come in?"
