Since it was True Master Tao’s invitation, Zhang Yan wouldn’t delay. Wang Yingfang personally escorted him out of the temple. After they bid farewell to each other, Zhang Yan rode his tunneling light and flew towards the highest peak of Xuanling Island.
At the top of this peak, there was a palace with golden-topped copper pillars, half-hidden in the cloud mist. From the foot of the mountain, it appeared to be radiant with myriad hues, filled with auspicious clouds, dreamlike and ethereal.
Zhang Yan flew up along the way, seeing green vines crawling up the cliff, old apes climbing branches, and occasionally birds flying across the sky, cranes calling out.
Before long, he suddenly felt an invisible pressure rushing towards him, seemingly trying to press him down, and hurriedly steadied his tunneling light. But the further he went up, the heavier this pressure became. Eventually, it was as if a thousand-pound boulder hung from him.
Thanks to the guidance from Wang Yingfang, Zhang Yan knew that the path here was not mistaken. However, he hadn’t heard her mention such an encounter before, unsure whether she intentionally omitted this or was unaware.
Yet this pressure was quite similar to how cultivators would use Earth Qi to condense it, making it as heavy as a thousand pounds. He didn’t lack a solution. He immediately shouted loudly, summoned his sword ball, and deployed the Sword Escape Technique, tearing through the air straight to the peak of the cliff.
Arriving at the cliff, he withdrew his tunneling light, his robe sleeves fluttering as he descended. Just as he almost landed, the scene before him suddenly changed, as if a curtain had fallen, leaving him in a vast expanse of haze where the sky and earth became indistinguishable.
Having experienced many formations, Zhang Yan immediately understood in his heart that he must have stepped into a prohibition array.
However, since True Master Tao invited him here, he certainly wouldn’t let him be trapped within without aid. So Zhang Yan’s expression remained unchanged, and he made no movement, just calmly waiting.
As expected, not long after, a blazing golden bridge flew out and spanned beneath his feet.
He smiled, waved his sleeve, stepped forward, and within a few dozen steps reached the other end of the golden bridge. There he saw two large stone blocks, each with a green jade plate placed on top, and two brightly colored parrots with green eyes and red beaks standing upon them. The one on the left said, "Visitor, please go left."
The parrot on the right said, "Visitor, please go right."
Zhang Yan paused his steps, smiled, and asked, "Fellow Daoists, why does one of you say go left and the other say go right?"
The parrot on the left said, "One of us always tells the truth, "
The parrot on the right said, "and the other always tells lies."
Understanding this was deliberately set by True Master Tao to test him, Zhang Yan remained untroubled. Anyone else would be caught in a dilemma, unsure of which way to go. However, he simply smirked and, without hesitation, turned and walked back.
Yet after stepping over the bridge, he did not return to the previous location. Instead, the gray mist parted unknowingly, leading him into a secluded valley.
In this place, mountain rain loomed, the sky was azure, and before him appeared a winding mountain path surrounded by verdant pine and cypress, with the path’s stone steps covered in green moss.
With a smile on his face, he adjusted his robe and ascended the steps. Soon, he reached the summit and, upon raising his eyes, saw a waterfall cascading from dozens of feet above, roaring majestically as it crashed down, splashing countless ice beads and jade drops. By a clear pond, a handsome young Daoist with starry eyes sat on a high stone, holding a Jade Ruyi, and beside him was a noble-looking green phoenix. Two children stood by his side, and upon seeing Zhang Yan enter, the Daoist said flatly, "Since you’ve come, why are you eager to leave?"
Zhang Yan stepped forward, with a composed expression, and said, "I am not leaving but came to meet True Master Tao."
True Master Tao shifted his gaze over, fixing on him, and said in a deep voice, "If you came to see me, then why did you turn back midway?"
Zhang Yan waved his sleeve, and said freely, "If the True Master wishes to see me, I will naturally be able to reach the True Master. If the True Master does not wish to see me, no effort will allow me to meet the True Master."
Upon hearing this, True Master Tao suddenly laughed out loud, his laughter echoing in the valley like thunder. He said, "To see through one’s heart and point directly to the truth, rare indeed."
Pointing his Jade Ruyi to a blue stone nearby, he laughed, "Daoist Zhang, please sit down and let’s talk."
Zhang Yan saluted respectfully, saying, "Then pardon my rudeness." He took a few steps and sat on the blue stone without constraint.
True Master Tao changed from his previous indifference to a kindly demeanor, saying, "Daoist Zhang, Guo Lie mentioned your intentions. Please hand over the two Forbidden Seal tokens to me."
A child by his side came forward to collect them.
This was precisely what Zhang Yan came to Xuanling Island for, and he was well prepared. He handed over the two tokens imprisoning Lu Junbai and Jun Yue Demon King.