265: Chapter 264 The Secret of Chicken Mountain 265: Chapter 264 The Secret of Chicken Mountain Hou Niao understood somewhat, “Is the opportunity Elder Brother mentioned related to the Upper Realm?”
Xiang Zhiwen nodded, “I have news that a Spiritual Spring has emerged in Chicken Mountain, and it is related to the bridge lead I need for ascending to the Upper Realm.
That’s why I came to look for it;
knowing that you are here, being familiar with the way should be more convenient, and if there really is a chance, you could help me take care of it.”
Hou Niao felt touched, knowing that his elder brother had a third layer of meaning he hadn’t mentioned, which was to let him come into contact with the Spiritual Spring.
It might help him ascend to the Upper Realm; he didn’t have this feeling, for if he had, he would have certainly felt it at the Feileng Spring on Jingyang Mountain.
But in reality, even such a miraculous Feileng jade was just a means for him to nurture his eyes.
Every person’s bridge lead is different.
What he doesn’t need might not be unnecessary for others.
He also didn’t point it out.
It’s better to keep these matters in mind; there’s no need to always talk about them.
“I’ve been to Chicken Mountain.
There was a rumor that a strange cultivator had appeared there, so I went to investigate, but found nothing.
I can’t say I’m familiar with the place, so I’ll just accompany Elder Brother on this trip.
I think there are quite a few hot springs on Chicken Mountain; there’s bound to be one suitable for Elder Brother.”
Xiang Zhiwen was very cautious, “A strange cultivator?”
“Exactly, the villagers reported it over two months ago, but it hasn’t been confirmed; you know, in the Xionger area, all foreign cultivators temporarily staying must be recorded, but we haven’t received any requests from cultivators to stay in Chicken Mountain.
I thought it was a villager’s mistake since I didn’t find such a person earlier, but since Elder Brother also says so, if there really is a Spiritual Spring, we may not be the first to come here looking for the opportunity.
There may have been people here already.
Where did this news come from?
Xiang Zhiwen didn’t avoid the question, “It should be reliable.
It was said by an elder of our sect, whom you also know, Elder Zheng who led the team at West Mang Mountain, Zheng Shixie.”
Of course, I remember.
Wasn’t he punished and left idle at home?”
“It’s precisely because he was left idle at home that he had to go out and find some work to do.
Elder Zheng opened a Dao teaching hall, specifically for cultivators in the Bridge Connection Realm who have problems ascending to the Upper Realm.
He helps them find their bridge leads by offering consultation, sharing his experience, and there have been some successful cases,
Since the hall opened, a few cultivators who studied there have successfully ascended to the Upper Realm.
As a result, his reputation soared, and many cultivators flocked to him.
For a time, he was even more popular than when he was with the Mu Shuai administration.
Even Mu Shuai intends to reinstate him, asking him to take charge of teaching the disciples in Jin City how to ascend to the Upper Realm.
I have been delayed in the Bridge Connection Realm for some years now, never finding the right direction for me, so I also attended a few lessons in the hall, which were very inspiring.
Later, I took the opportunity to receive private teachings from Elder Zheng…”
“It must have cost a great deal of Spirit Stones, right?”
Xiang Zhiwen forced a smile, “Do you even have to ask?
In the Cultivation World, apart from the relationships between direct master and disciple, who would help others selflessly, providing paths to opportunities?
The Spiritual Spring on Chicken Mountain is indeed something Elder Zheng told me about in private, which is why I made this trip.”
Hou Niao was quite surprised, “I never expected that Elder Zheng, who isn’t good in combat, actually has a knack for teaching.
It seems everyone has their own area of expertise.
As long as you find the right one, there might be great prospects.
If Elder Brother benefits from this, our brotherhood will have much to thank him for.”
Xiang Zhiwen felt somewhat embarrassed, “Not everyone needs to seek guidance from others when ascending to the Upper Realm like I do.
People like Wang Mian and Fang Yazi are unwilling to ask for help and find their own way out.
Compared to them, I still have a lot to improve on.”
Hou Niao comforted him, “Actually, it’s all the same.
Senior brother has just been delayed a bit longer in this process, which is why he had to seek another path; like us, about to bridge soon, our spirits are high, we believe that there is nothing we can’t do with effort.
If we, like senior brother, wasted years, perhaps we too would succumb to reality and seek other ways.
In fact, I think, whether one finds it on their own or receives guidance from a senior in the sect, as long as the goal is achieved it’s always good, so why be rigid about it?
Yes, when I have time to go back to Jin City, I should also listen to Uncle Zheng’s lectures.
After all, cultivation has no end, and the accomplished can be teachers, so why bother troubling oneself?
His words were not only to comfort Xiang Zhiwen but also reflected his own thoughts.
He held no so-called purity regarding external objects or external mentors; the path of cultivation is indeed a gradual accumulation based on the work of predecessors.
Ever since he entered the path, hasn’t every step been learning from the predecessors?
Without these forebears, he would still be an officer of criminal investigation, struggling painfully under the stagnant government system.
“Have Wang Mian and Fang Yazi bridged as well?
Have they been assigned to other places?”
Talking about these patrol members, Xiang Zhiwen’s mood clearly improved a lot, “Not just Wang Mian and Yazi, but also Dou Gong, Tu Xiu, Li Jingxi, Feng Yaochen, Xu Geng, Yao He…
all us old brothers are basically on the bridge, and in Jin City and its surrounding areas we are truly unique.
They say when did Yinling become such a blessed land?
It’s also because more people are coming up, so the Government’s office doesn’t have enough positions to arrange for everyone right now, have to wait a bit longer.”
Hou Niao was very happy, his friends were all there, none had fallen behind, this is the most joyful thing during the journey of cultivation; otherwise, if one were to walk alone, and friends slowly dispersed, this kind of sadness could not be dispelled.
“Staying in Yinling is also good, it just means we can continue to push upwards.
Someday when we have all surpassed Tongxuan, we’ll fly back to the old haunts of Yinling for a reunion, wouldn’t that be beautiful?”
The two drank and chatted, and the long night seemed shorter.
In the darkness before dawn, with their stomachs full and morning practice completed, Hou Niao stood up,
“We set out now, we’ll arrive at Chicken Mountain just as it gets light, convenient for climbing; let’s see, just which deity has managed to get ahead of us brothers?”
The two brothers walked side by side, and the ten-plus miles went by in a flash.
Seeing Chicken Mountain completely shrouded in clouds and mist, Xiang Zhiwen took a deep breath,
“Junior brother, this Chicken Mountain is somewhat perilous.”
Hou Niao laughed, “It only looks dangerous.
In reality, it’s just the mist that surrounds, making people feel uncertain; I’ve been here before.
As long as we don’t show hostility, the beasts of the mountain are actually very friendly.
“Did Uncle Zheng mention the exact location of the opportunity?”
Xiang Zhiwen shook his head, “He didn’t say, only that it’s within the spirit spring of Chicken Mountain, no specific one.
Junior brother, are there many spirit springs here?”
Hou Niao thought for a moment, “I haven’t found the spirit spring you’re speaking of, but there are quite a few ordinary mountain springs and hot springs, more than a dozen; of course, that’s also because I haven’t looked carefully.
Anyway, we have plenty of time, and Chicken Mountain is not big, so it won’t take us more than a few days to search each one.”
This time on Chicken Mountain, the path was much more familiar.
The two searched together, more thoroughly, but as he said, these springs were mostly ordinary mountain springs and hot springs, not at all related to a spirit spring.
After several days, they had completely searched the whole Chicken Mountain, without a single omission, yet still found nothing.
Hou Niao sighed, “Senior brother, the only place we haven’t thoroughly explored is that large cave halfway up the mountain.
If there really is an opportunity, it’s probably only there.”