Big Data Cultivation-Chapter 602 -

Chapter 602: 602

Chapter 602: 602

A colonnade encircled the renowned Jintan Huayang Celestial Part, which gave no impression of being anything out of the ordinary.

In fact, the Eighth Heavenly Cave had never been a perilous place, and the entire altitude of Maoshan was barely over three hundred meters above sea level.

To give an example, in the last century when foreign enemies invaded, they had come here, looked around, and finally dismissed it contemptuously, saying, “What a pathetic Cave Heaven, it’s just a place where a bunch of savages live.”

Yet it is precisely this sentiment, that the strength of mountains and rivers lies in virtue, not in treacherous terrain, that applies to a Cave Heaven, too; it is the presence of immortals and Spiritual Energy that truly makes a Cave Heaven.

Within the Cave Heaven, there are even mountains lower than Maoshan, such as the Weiyu Mountain where the Dayou Kongming Realm is located, with an elevation of less than one hundred meters, yet it is ranked second among the Weiyu Cave Mansions.

In short, Maoshan had reopened its Juqu Curve Cave Mansion, and everyone had indeed sensed the Spiritual Energy within. However, the mere colonnade, meant to separate the Cave Heaven from the mundane world, seemed hardly sufficient for the task.

But how should one put it? After all, the ten great Cave Heavens have a reputation to uphold, and Maoshan, with its uninterrupted ancient legacy, has secrets unknown to anyone; who knows what powerful cards they still have up their sleeve.

So, the over a thousand esteemed guests gathered, roamed outside the colonnade, some clustered together chatting, others sat in meditation feeling the changes in Spiritual Energy, and still others took out cameras to capture the scene.

Maoshan forbade photography and had prepared some equipment to thwart it. To avoid creating too much resentment, disciples went up to organize groups for an internal tour of the colonnade.

Even with entry to the colonnade’s interior, one couldn’t venture too deep. It was enough just to let the visitors realize that there was indeed a profound mystery within the Cave Heaven, and that it wasn’t just self-aggrandizement.

Among these people, those who could sense the Spiritual Energy were not just three or five individuals; there might be as many as thirty or fifty, and there were even some who wanted to meditate and practice cultivation right there and then, but they were stopped by the Maoshan disciples.

Once everyone confirmed that the Juqu Curve Cave Mansion had indeed been reopened, and it wasn’t just a publicity stunt, many once again gathered around Tang Wangsun to inquire what sort of opportunity Maoshan had encountered—after all, everyone knew that it was currently the era of the Dharma’s decline.

Of course, the Heavenly Master would say that this was a blessing left by the founding patriarchs of Maoshan. In an era of peace and national prosperity, we felt that the conditions for reopening the Cave Heaven were ripe.

Such nonsense could not satisfy anyone. They were all crafty foxes as old as a millennium—what fairy tales were they trying to play? Zheng Jingzhu from Wangwu’s Minor Clear Void Heaven bluntly said, “This is a Spirit Gathering Array, right? My question is simple, where did the Spirit Stones used by Tang Tianshi come from?”

Tang Wangsun, taking advantage of Wangwu Cave Mansion’s poor reputation, straightforwardly retorted, “Whether Spirit Stones were used or not is a secret of Maoshan. Has Maoshan ever questioned where your Wangwu mountains’ Spirit Stones came from, given that your formations have been maintained for hundreds of years?”

“What kind of talk is this from Tang Tianshi,” Zheng Jingzhu spoke with a dark expression, “Our Wangwu Formation has been lost for nearly a thousand years. You are purely spreading rumors!”

Of course, no one believed him, because Wangwu has been crying poverty for hundreds of years, yet occasionally they churn out a cultivator who surpasses the standard level.

Then a Taoist Priest with white eyebrows spoke up, “Heavenly Master Tang, it is said that Maoshan has opened an ancestral storage Magical Treasure and thereby obtained the Spirit Gathering Array and countless Spirit Stones… So, is that why you reopened the Cave Heaven?”

Countless Spirit Stones, my foot! Tang Wangsun really wanted to slap this guy hard, thinking how malicious he was.

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The government has said that spreading rumors will be met with legal consequences, so on what basis does he dare to spout such nonsense?

However, after taking a good look at the other’s face, Tang Wangsun could only suppress the urge to strike, because… this was Autumn Taoist Priest from Zhongnan Mountain, who seemed to have some issues with the Taibai Mountain’s Xuande Cave Heaven.

Xuande Cave Heaven was just one of the Thirty-Six Minor Cavern Heavens and wouldn’t compare to the ten great Cave Heavens, but there were simply too many cultivators from the Zhongnan lineage, with immense influence and extensive connections.

Although these sects may not work in complete harmony, and it is possible that they regard “schismatics with more hatred than heretics,” it cannot be denied that Zhongnan Mountain has an enormous reputation among cultivators.

Therefore, Heavenly Master Tang forcefully suppressed his anger and replied with a cold smile, “Where did this talk of countless Spirit Stones come from? Your Chongyang Palace has numerous descendants, with countless followers spread far and wide, how many Spirit Stones might you have?”

“I’m not from the Quanzhen sect,” Autumn Taoist Priest said with a chuckle, “Quanzhen pays respect to its line of teachers and disciples, but I’m just a lonely ghost; they wouldn’t take me in. I just want to know where one can obtain Spirit Stones.”

Tang Tianshi replied to him with a slight smile, “Our Spirit Gathering Array is powered by nuclear energy… Have you heard of Xiwo Company?”

“If you’re going to talk like that, it makes no sense,” a middle-aged Taoist interjected, “Who doesn’t know that by reopening the storage Magical Treasure, you got at least four Spirit Stones?”

As soon as Tang Wangsun saw this figure, his heart sank; this was a descendant of Dragon Phoenix Mountain.

The Heavenly Master Zhang from Dragon Phoenix Mountain didn’t come this time. Although their lineage wasn’t very long, they had been ennobled by the Imperial Court multiple times and carried an air of superiority that scoffed at these solitary ghosts.

However, as long as Heavenly Master Zhang was absent, Tang Wangsun felt no fear, but the current issue was that they knew he had obtained at least four Spirit Stones—who among us is the traitor?

Actually, such occurrences were inevitable. Although Maoshan may have declined, it could still be considered a major family with substantial assets, and it was only natural for a few unworthy disciples to emerge among its ranks.

Fortunately, no one yet mentioned anything about “thirty Spirit Stones”; otherwise, Tang Wangsun would truly feel like killing someone.

At this point, denying it seemed utterly unnecessary. He could already imagine that as soon as he denied it, the other party would produce evidence—due to the title of Heavenly Master, Maoshan and Dragon Phoenix Mountain had been at odds for many years.

As soon as he denied it, he would be confronted, and Tang Wangsun disliked such treatment—Maoshan wouldn’t isolate itself from the public like Wangwu did.

In fact, his decision to ostentatiously reopen the Juqu Curve Cave Mansion was also deliberate—along with reshaping Maoshan’s image, he intended to address potential future troubles Maoshan might face through honest exchanges.

So he expressed indifferently, “Whether Maoshan has reopened storage Magical Treasures or Magic Artifacts, whether we have Spirit Stones, and how many we have, are all matters for Maoshan alone. Since you mentioned reopening, that is indeed the legacy of my Maoshan ancestor and has nothing to do with you.”

The Daoist priest from Dragon Phoenix Mountain, however, let out a cold laugh, “In this age of declining Dharma where Spiritual Energy is scant and Daoist Techniques no longer flourish, the opportunity that has befallen your Maoshan, is indeed a joyous event for Cultivators across the world. Tang Sect leader, your miserly hoarding, only flaunting it before fellow Daoists, wouldn’t that leave your peers cold-hearted?”

This time, he didn’t even address him as “Heavenly Master”, but directly called him “Sect leader”.

“Heh,” a cold laugh came from the side, coming from a young Daoist nun; it was the somewhat nonconformist Little Celestial Master Tang Wenji. Surprisingly, she had donned her Daoist Robe for such a significant celebration.

She looked at him, unperturbed, and spoke, “The gift left by our Maoshan ancestors for their descendants is for us to know. The Heavenly Master Zhang left behind countless legacies; has Dragon Phoenix Mountain informed other Daoists about them?”

This retort nearly choked the middle-aged Daoist priest. Dragon Phoenix Mountain’s lineage was indeed powerful now, but that was more about intangible assets. Alright, his ancestors really had left behind quite a few good things, but those had been carefully squirreled away from prudent planning and saving.

Maoshan, on the other hand, had not encountered such a sudden windfall of wealth.

Moreover, during the last century’s “destruction of the old ways”, Dragon Phoenix Mountain suffered heavy losses and nearly saw its lineage cut off. Continuing the lineage till now had cost them a lot of resources.

This was the harsh truth, but asking someone from Dragon Phoenix Mountain to admit that their ancestors hadn’t left much behind was too much—they couldn’t afford to lose face, especially in front of Maoshan Daoists.

It wasn’t without reason that Tang Wenji could boldly innovate without restraint within Maoshan and be called the Little Celestial Master—her capabilities were strong in all areas.

The middle-aged Daoist priest was taken aback for quite a while before he irritably flung his sleeve, “I was merely inquiring on behalf of Daoist friends from other Cave Heavens, seeing as Maoshan was reopening the Jintan Huayang Celestial Part. Dragon Phoenix Mountain’s lineage continues without relying on Cave Heavens. Since you say so, it seems I’ve concerned myself unnecessarily.”

He hadn’t expected to provoke Maoshan with his words in the first place—the two sects had never gotten along well. He had merely come out to lead the charge, and now that the other party’s little girl had responded so unpleasantly, he withdrew opportunistically.

—I’ve successfully broached the topic. If no one else follows up on this, Dragon Phoenix Mountain will no longer entertain the matter!

Seeing him back off so quickly, Tang Wenji was about to press her advantage when someone else spoke up, “Excuse my boldness, Heavenly Master Tang, but is it true that Maoshan has uncovered a large number of Spirit Stones with the reopening of the ancestors’ inheritance?”

The one asking was no simple figure either—it was an Elder from Wudang.

Compared to the Heavenly Master lineage of Dragon Phoenix Mountain, Wudang was currently a hot favorite of the Daoist Sects, though their reputation was more in martial arts. They didn’t have much to say regarding Daoist Techniques and were, in fact, on better terms with Maoshan.

The Wudang Sect Leader was somewhat similar to the Maoshan Heavenly Master; his work was extremely busy, and the two had been classmates at a recent study course.

Unfortunately, the Sect Leader hadn’t even completed the course before being called away for an international cultural cooperation project, leaving the teachers of the course helpless.

Thus, an Elder surnamed Guo from Wudang had come to attend the reopening ceremony of Juqu Curve Cave Mansion.

“A large number would be an exaggeration,” Tang Wangsun, seeing it was him who spoke, finally stopped equivocating and answered seriously, “There are only four Spirit Stones altogether, and even their Spiritual Energy is nearly depleted.”

This information aligned with everyone’s intelligence, and Elder Guo did not pursue further, merely nodding slightly.

His asking about the Spirit Stones certainly had a purpose, but with so many eyes present, he couldn’t reveal much. It would have to wait until they could discuss privatley when no one else was around.

Zheng Jingzhu, the Scripture Master of Wangwu Cave Mansion, let out a soft chuckle, “Only four Spirit Stones? I doubt it. Maoshan generously reopening the Spiritual Spring to benefit all living beings … that’s not an ordinary grand move.”

Wangwu’s reputation had deteriorated. Of course, they would go to great lengths to drag others down with them—in this race to the bottom, it didn’t matter if Wangwu was a bit worse off, just as long as others were seen as worse off, that was OK.

Tang Wangsun replied with an unbothered smile, “How can a sparrow understand the ambitions of a swan?”

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